Sexual Dimorphism in Clavicle Using Sternal and Clavicular End Morphometry: A Cross Sectional Study

Introduction: Forensic anthropology can play an important role in identification of human remains in cases of natural or manmade calamity. The various manifestations of the morphological features in the skeleton which manifest differently according to sex and statistical differences, forms a basis for sex assessment. In cases, where the recovery of whole body or complete skeleton may not be possible, the forensic anthropologists have to give their opinion based upon the available skeletal remains. Objective: The purpose of the study was attempted to evolve a formula to enable the assessment of sex in clavicles and to know about the comparative differences between right and left clavicles of known sex, by using the various metrical parameters. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in Western Maharashtrian medical college. During the study, a total of 200 adult dried clavicles extracted from cadavers used during dissection. Maximum clavicular length was measured by digital caliper. Identification point were calculated from the actual range whereas Demarking point, a calculated range, was calculated by using the formulae Mean +/- 3SD because this range covered maximum sample size (99.75%) and gave more accurate results. Results: In the present study, the mean of the length of the clavicle was found to be 141.63 in males and 128.70 in females. The mean of the male subsets has been found to be greater even when the sample was categorized into right and left. The maximum length of clavicle was statistically significant when compared with the clavicle of females. Conclusion: Determination of sex the clavicle has a great medico legal importance to the forensic people. And it also helps the orthopaedic implant manufacturers and orthopaedic surgeons to decide correct size and shape of plates and intramedullary nails for clavicular fractures in open reduction method