Background: In humans, auricle is the most unique feature of the face and its structure shows the signs of age and sex. The understanding of various dimensions of auricle with regard to different age and sex is necessary for forensic purposes, corrective reconstruction and to determine accurately the position and orientation of auricular framework. It will also serve as a base to guide surgeons involved in the management of cases of the external ear.
Objectives: The study was conducted to determine the baseline mean values of the different morphometric measurements from the bilateral auricles and any prevailing sexual dimorphism regarding morphology of the auricle.
Materials and Methods: The study was carried out on 100 individuals including both male and female of an equal number of age group 1830 years in the Department of Anatomy, AIIMS, Patna. The standardized photometry method was used to take photographs of lateral views of subject faces. The photographs were transferred to computer and analyzed. The parameters such as auricle length (AL), auricle width (AW), lobule length (LL), lobule width (LW), auricle index (AI) and lobule index (LI) were taken using on screen digital MB-Ruler - the triangular screen ruler ver. 5.3.
Results: The shape of the ear was found to be oval in most of the individuals. The auricle length (AL) was more in females than in males and auricle width was found to be more in male than in female subjects. Lobular length (LL) and lobular width (LW) were found to be greater in males than in females. Most of the left ear indices were found to be greater than right ones in female subjects.
Conclusion: The present study would serve some purposes in ear morphology and for anthropometric considerations. Photogrammetric method can be used as a tool for morphometric analysis of external ear.
Key words: Auricle; Ear Index; Lobular Index; Photometry
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