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Volume 13 Issue 9 (September) 2024

Original Articles

Gender Determination from Various Measurements of the Humerus- A cadaveric study
Dr. Abha Bharadwaja

Background: In forensic anthropology, it is very important to determine the sex from the bony remains found at an excavation site or a crime scene. The humerus is a big bone in the upper limb and its condition does not usually deteriorate, which is why the humerus is favored for the determination of sex. This study was conducted to assess different measurements of the humerus for the determination of sex. Material and methods: This cross-sectional investigation involved the analysis of 100 humeri, comprising 50 specimens from male cadavers and 50 from female cadavers. The humeri were extracted from adult individuals estimated to be between 25 and 75 years of age, sourced from the anatomy department. Each bone underwent a thorough examination to identify any visible deformities. The research concentrated on six particular measurements: maximum length of the humerus (MLH), maximum diameter of the humeral head (MDH), vertical diameter of the humeral head (VDH), transverse diameter of the humeral head (TDH), condylar breadth (CB), and epicondylar breadth (EB). The maximum length of the humerus was characterized as the distance from the apex of the humeral head to the lowest point on the trochlea. The vertical diameter was assessed as the distance between the highest and lowest points on the articular surface of the humeral head. The transverse diameter was established by measuring the distance between the most anterior and posterior points on the articular surface of the humeral head. Finally, the epicondylar breadth was defined as the distance between the two most laterally extending points on the lateral epicondyles of the humerus. A comparative analysis of the six variables—MLH, MDH, VDH, TDH, EB, and CB—was performed between genders using appropriate statistical tests. Results: In this study, the MLH in males and females was 307.86 ± 11.19 mm and 283.88 ± 6.78 mm, respectively. The MDH in males and females was 43.75 ± 1.81 mm and 40.86 ± 1.62 mm, respectively. The VDH in males and females was 42.54 ± 1.63 mm and 39.88 ± 1.52 mm, respectively. The TDH in males and females was 39.28 ± 1.82 mm and 36.77 ± 1.49 mm, respectively. The EB in males and females was 55.23 ± 4.60 mm and 50.64 ± 8.27 mm, respectively. The CB in males and females was 38.17 ± 2.22 mm and 35.29 ± 1.08 mm, respectively. A value that falls below the designated threshold was classified as female, while a value that exceeds this threshold was classified as male. For instance, a maximum humerus length exceeding 289.6 mm is categorized as male, whereas a length below 289.6 mm is categorized as female. The threshold values for MDH, VDH, TDH, EB, and CB are established at 42.6 mm, 41.7 mm, 39.9 mm, 55.4 mm, and 36.5 mm, respectively. Conclusion: The findings of this research indicate that the maximum length of the humerus and the vertical diameter of the humeral head are the two critical measurements that provide the greatest accuracy in determining gender from human skeletal remains.

 
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