Sex Determination using Anthropometric Dimensions of Clavicle-An Observational Study

• Main Authors: Niveditha Samala, Bethi Manasa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: JCDR Research and Publications Pvt. Ltd. 2019-01-01
• Series: International Journal of Anatomy Radiology and Surgery
• Subjects: collar bone; length; mid shaft circumference; variations
• Online Access: http://www.ijars.net/articles/PDF/2455/37954_CE[Ra1]_F(SHU)_PF1(A_SHU)_PFA(A_SHU)_PF2(AKA_SHU)_PN(SHU).pdf

Introduction: Determination of sex constitutes the most important element during the identification process of human skeletal remains. Several sex-specific features of human skeleton have been tried for sex determination with varying reliability. It becomes even more challenging when only a single bone like the clavicle is available. Aim: To study the parameters of the clavicle for bilateral asymmetry, to study the sexual dimorphism in human adult clavicles and to compare this data with the data from previous studies. Materials and Methods: The materials for the present observational study consisted of 60 adult clavicles of known sex (34 male and 26 female) which were collected from the dissected cadavers from Department of Anatomy during the period August 2010-December 2012 in Telangana. The length & mid shaft circumference of each clavicle was studied. The data collected were analysed and subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS software version 20.0. The descriptive statistics were calculated to define the sample. Results: The mean of the maximum length of clavicle were more in males compared to the females. In the present study for right clavicles, if length is more than 152.69 mm it should be male clavicle and if length is less than 105.68 mm it should be female clavicle. Similarly for left clavicles if length is more than 156.49 mm it should be male clavicle and if length is less than 117.21 mm it should be female clavicle. Mid-shaft circumference of male clavicles were more compared to females. Mean mid-shaft circumference of male right clavicles were at least 4.94 mm more than mean mid-shaft circumference of female right clavicles and mean mid-shaft circumference of male left clavicles were at least 5.63 mm more than mean mid-shaft circumference of female left clavicles. Conclusion: By this present study the author highlighted the importance of clavicle from skeletal remains of the deceased whose identification is not known thus it helps the forensic experts in medico-legal issues and also anthropologists in their study of evolution of mankind and migration of races and also helps the orthopaedicians in intra-medullary nailing techniques in case of fracture of clavicle.