Rib Removal is a surgical operation, usually performed on the lowest ribs to make the waist

Waist

The waist is the part of the abdomen between the rib cage and hips. On proportionate people, the waist is the narrowest part of the torso....

 thinner. This is considered 'extreme' and is rarely formally documented. A more common activity, with documented results, is termed "rib resection" which is performed where ribs have been crushed, damaged or entry to the thoracic region is required on for other medical reasons.

This surgical method has been said to have existed for aesthetic purposes during the Victorian era

Victorian era

The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...

, but evidence is scarce.

Removal of lower ribs

In this body-contouring procedure, most of the floating ribs (numbers 11 and 12) and occasionally rib 10 are removed. The rear portion of the ribs are left intact to protect against trauma to internal organs. This plastic surgery operation is performed under general anesthesia and requires hospitalization, and is irreversible as ribs do not re-grow.

Rib removal combined with abdominoplasty

In conjunction with abdominoplasty, rib removal gives patients an hourglass figure. In the past, this type of plastic surgery was popularized by certain celebrity dieters wishing to achieve an extra-lean body shape.

Rib removal per se does not reduce waist circumference. A decreased waist size is accomplished only by the removal of surplus body fat. This is why rib removal is typically combined with abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), a surgical procedure designed to remove excess skin and fat tissue from the abdomen and to tighten the muscles of the abdominal wall. Abdominoplasty is sometimes combined with liposuction, depending on the degree of loose skin, excess fat, and abdominal muscle weakness in the patient.