SEXUAL DIMORPHISM OF CLAVICLE IN SOUTH INDIAN POPULATION: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Introduction: Estimation of sex is the ground for an exact identification of unknown human skeletal elements. Methods for sex assessment are based on the existence of morphological features in the skeleton that manifest differently according to sex or statistical differences in skeletal measurements. Due to the specific pattern of ontogeny and age related changes of sterna articular surface during adulthood the clavicle is widely used in the estimation of sex at death and in living people. Objectives: To evolve an easily applied formula to enable the assessment of sex in unknown clavicles and to document the comparative differences between right and left clavicles by using metrical parameters. Materials and Methods: The cross sectional study was conducted in the department of Anatomy, Yenepoya Medical college, Mangalore. The present study was conducted in 50 adult dry clavicle.Maximum clavicular length, maximum breadth of sterna end ,maximum breadth of acromial end and acromial surface area were measured by digital caliper and osteometric board. Results: The maximum length of clavicle () was statistically significant when compared with the clavicle of females. The other values like breadth of sternal end, breadth of acromial end and acromial surface area were greater in males when compared to females. Conclusion: Determination of sex the clavicle has a great medicolegal importance to the forensic people. And it also help the orthopedic implant manufactures and orthopedic surgeons to decide correct size and shape of plates and intramedullary nails for clavicular fractures in open reduction method.