1Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Coimbatore Medical College, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
2Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy, Coimbatore Medical College, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
*Corresponding author: Dr. T. Jeyasingh, M.D, Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Coimbatore Medical College, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. E-mail: drjeyasinghfm@gmail.com, 9843040880
Online published on 17 August, 2016.
The human orbit is a complex anatomic region, which plays predominant role in the evaluation of craniofacial complex. In the present study an attempt has been made to determine the sex by taking the measurements of transverse diameter and vertical diameter of the orbital openings in the dead bodies.
The study was done on 158 bodies (96-males, 62-females) which were available in the Mortuary of Madurai medical college, Govt. Rajaji Hospital, Madurai.
The vertical diameter (orbital height) was measured as the straight distance between the upper and lower margins of the orbital cavity, taken at right angle to the orbital breadth. Transverse diameter (Orbital breadth) was measured as the straight distance between maxillo frontal (mf) and ecto conchion (ecto) must be marked before the measurement. The diameter should cut the orbital cavity in almost two equal halves.
The point where the prolongation of the anterior lacrimal crest crosses the maxillo frontal suture.
The point on the lateral margin of the orbit making the greatest breadth, measured from maxillo frontal.
Orbital index (OI) was calculated by using the following formula, OI = orbital height/orbital breadth x 100 The data obtained were tabulated and analysed statistically by computing descriptive statistics. The results were considered significant when p value < 0.05 and was considered highly significant when p value < 0.001.
In males 19 out of 96 fall in the group of mesoseme and 77 out of 96 fall in the group of microseme. The mean orbital index in male orbits is about 79.90. In case of females 26 out of 62 individuals fall in the category of megaseme. 33 out of 62 individuals fall in the category of mesoseme. Only 3 out of 62 individuals fall in the category of microseme.
This study confirms that the determination of sex can be made by taking the measurements of transverse and vertical diameter of the base of the orbit or orbital opening.
Orbital index, Dead bodies, Sex Determination, orbital parameters
