A Pilot Study of the Anthropometric Growth Pattern of the Human Auricle of the North Indian Region

Objectives To assess the dimensions of external ear (pinna) in different age groups in the North Indian population. To assess the mean dimensions of external ear (pinna) in different age groups in North Indian males and females. Methods The study area was Lucknow/Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, and the study center was Era's Lucknow Medical College, Uttar Pradesh, India. Study subjects were the study group, which consisted of 1807 subjects divided into six groups depending on age. Each group had a minimum of 300 subjects. Instruments used were digital vernier calipers, scale, and compass. Total ear height (TEH), lobular height (LH), lobular width (LW), ear projection (EP), ear width (EW), external auditory meatus length (EAML), external auditory meatus breadth (EAMB), distance from the tragus to the antihelix (DTA/TA), and distance from the tragus to the helix (DTH/TH). Results Statistically, no significant difference between the two sides was observed for any of the measurements. This shows that a bilateral symmetry was present, and hence, measurements of one side could be considered to be identical to that of the other. For subsequent representation, the average of two sides has been taken as the representative value of an individual. For group I, mean values±SD for measurement of TEH, LH, LW, EP, EW, EAML, EAMB, DTA, and DTH were 36.17±0.52, 5.38±0.33, 9.83±0.38, 5.53±0.46, 20.04±0.72, 2.00±0.49, 1.42±0.33, 12.55±0.45, and 18.63±0.44, respectively. For group II, mean values±SD for measurement of TEH, LH, LW, EP, EW, EAML, EAMB, DTA, and DTH were 47.29±4.53, 10.52±1.84, 14.93±1.37, 9.83±2.95, 25.83±3.08, 4.26±1.76, 3.02±1.78, 16.62±2.48, and 22.41±3.57, respectively. For group III, mean values±SD for measurement of TEH, LH, LW, EP, EW, EAML, EAMB, DTA, and DTH were 53.05±5.12, 13.36±1.76, 19.03±2.39, 17.57±3.03, 27.92±3.63, 6.82±2.03, 5.17±1.14, 17.81±1.83, and 23.71±1.97, respectively. For group IV, mean values±SD for measurement of TEH, LH, LW, EP, EW, EAML, EAMB, DTA, and DTH were 58.06±2.53, 16.63±1.65, 20.56±3.58, 19.47±1.55, 29.36±3.16, 8.64±1.28, 6.50±1.14, 17.75±1.31, and 24.83±1.70, respectively. For group V, mean values±SD for measurement of TEH, LH, LW, EP, EW, EAML, EAMB, DTA, and DTH were 60.24±3.46, 17.45±2.63, 22.07±3.65, 17.67±2.85, 30.21±3.96, 9.64±1.07, 7.04±0.94, 17.93±2.01, and 25.11±2.39, respectively. For group VI, mean values±SD for measurement of TEH, LH, LW, EP, EW, EAML, EAMB, DTA, and DTH were 64.88±4.04, 19.38±2.05, 22.15±2.54, 20.29±2.84, 33.66±2.17, 9.22±1.41, 7.07±1.20, 20.30±4.74, and 27.11±3.55, respectively. Conclusions On the basis of the above study, the utility of normative values can be discussed and explored further for the age and gender validation from the forensic point of view as well as from the point of view of prosthetic rehabilitation in different age groups and for the two genders.