ANATOMICAL VARIATIONS OF FRONTAL SINUS AMONG ETHNIC POPULATIONS LIVING IN KARACHI

Abstract

Brief background Human civilization demands identification of the individuals. Both alive as well as the deceased need to be identified. With the rise of mass destruction and catastrophe in this era, the identification of the bodies has become an extremely difficult task for the investigation teams. The Forensic science experts and anthropologists are devising newer methods of identification. In cases where there are mutilated or skeletonized bodies in which soft tissue is lost, the techniques of finger printing and DNA analysis cannot be applied. Radiography of the bony structures is a method of choice in such circumstances as they are strong enough to remain intact after fatal calamities. Frontal sinuses are within strong bones and escape damage even when someone experiences blast injuries, putrefaction or decomposition. Since variations in anatomy of frontal air sinuses are present among people belonging to different regions of the world, it is important to conduct a study to acquire the parameters of frontal sinus in different ethnicities of Pakistan. This knowledge can help forensic experts to identify the gender as well as ethnicity of the person in cases of disasters like blast injuries where human remains are disfigured or burnt.

Objectives • To determine the morphology and dimensions of frontal air sinuses in different ethnicities living in Karachi. • To record variation in dimensions of frontal air sinuses in male and female genders living in Karachi.

Subjects, Materials and Methods The study design was cross sectional–descriptive. The number of total subjects was 216. They were divided into four ethnic groups with 54 members in each group. Each ethnic group was further divided into male and female sub groups with 27 members in each.

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The subjects were sampled by purposive sampling. The subjects were recruited from the radiology department, JPMC, Karachi. The mean age of the subjects was 35.14 + 8.68 years. Water’s view radiography was done in the room number 2 of the radiology ward. The height, width and area of the frontal air sinuses were calculated. The measurements were done by the DICOM digital software.

Results The height, width and the areas of frontal sinuses on either side were highly significantly greater in the males as compared to the females (p=0.000). The highly significant variations existed amongst the four male and female ethnic groups in terms of height, width and area both in the right and the left frontal air sinuses (p=0.000). Conclusion The height, width and area of frontal sinuses were greater in the males as compared to the females on both the left and the right sides. These dimensions also showed significant variability among the male and female ethnic groups.