Abstract
Introduction: In the adult the ear forms one anatomic unit serving both hearing and equilibrium. The external ear consists of pinna and external auditory canal concerned with hearing. Morphometric study of the external ear is of importance to physical anthropologists, physicians, forensic scientists and plastic surgeons.
This study aimed to determine the mean values of different morphometric measurements from the left and right ears in the study population.
Aim: To study the morphometric variations of pinna among students
Methods: Measurements were taken from 384 healthy medical students aged 17 – 20 years using a standard vernier callipers. The parameters measured were total ear height (TEH), ear width (EW).
Results: In our study we found that ear height and ear width values were more in right ears than left ears. All parameter values were more in males than females and their difference was statistically significant.
Discussion: Knowledge of normal ear dimensions is important in the diagnosis of congenital malformations and acquired deformities and in the planning of treatment. It is also helpful in hearing instrument industry and forensic criminology. We believe the data presented in this study have yielded parameters for ear morphology that will prove useful in determining ear anomalies and variations, and may help the clinician to reproduce an anatomically correct ear during its reconstruction.
Keywords: Morphometry; pinna; vernier callipers.
References
- Ruma P, Singh P. Anthropometry of the normal human auricle: A study of adult Indian men. Journal of aesth plast surg 2007; 31: 372 – 379
- Coward T J, Watson R M, Scott B J. Laser scanning for the identification of repeatable landmarks of the ears and face. Br J Plastic Surg 1997; 50: 308 – 314.
- Marras W S, Kim J K. anthropometry of Industrial populations , Ergonomics, 1993; 36: 371 – 78.
- Guyuron B, DeLuca L: ear projection and the posterior auricular muscle insertion. Plast Reconstr Surg 100: 457 – 460, 1997
- Healthcote J A. Why do old men have big ears? BMJ 1995; 311: 1668.
- Ferrario V F , Sforza C, Ciusa V, Dellavia C, Tartglia GM: the effect of sex and age of facial asymmetry in healthy subjects: A cross sectional study from adolescence to midadulthood. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 59:382 – 388, 2001
- M G Bozkir, P Karakas and M Yavuz et al., Morphometry of the external ear in our adult population, Aesthetic Plast Surg 30,2006: 81 – 85.
- Farkas LG, Posnick JC, Hreczko TM: Anthropometric growth study of the ear. Cleft Palate Craniofac J 29:324 – 329, 1992
- Ito I, Imada M, Ikeda M, Sueno K, Arikuni T, Kida A:A morphological study of age changes in adult human auricular cartilage with speial emphasis on elastic fibres. Laryngoscope 111:881 -886, 2001
- Woo PN, Lip PL:….and that thick ears signify greater wealth. BMJ 312:582, 1996
- M T Kalcioglu, M C Miman and Y Toplu et al. anthropometric growth study of normal human auricle. Int J Pediatr Otorhynolaryngol 67, 2003: 1169 – 77
- K S Alexander, D J Scott, B Sivakumar and N Kang. A morphometric study of the human ear. Journal of Plast, Reconstr and Aest Surg 64, 2011: 41 – 47.
- Deopa D, H K Thakkar, Chandra Prakash, R Niranjan, M P Barua. Anthropometric measurements of external ear of medical students in Uttarakhand region. Journal of anatomical society of India 2013; 62: 79 – 83.
Corresponding Author
Dr Venkata Krishna.BR
Dept of Surgery, TOMCH & RC, Yadavanahalli, Attibele Hobli Anekal Taluk, Bangalore -562106
Ph no- 9632470171, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v6i6.178
