Anthropometric Comparison of Nasal Parameters between Male and Female Yoruba Students

Nasal index (NI) is a useful anthropometric parameter in forensic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. It is also useful in classification of race and sex of individuals of unknown identity. Such anatomical documentation is absent among the Yoruba students in the Department of Anatomy, OlabisiOnabanjo University, Sagamu, South-West, Nigeria. The study was carried out on 140 Anatomy students, male (n= 58) and female (n= 82) aged between 18-24 years (mean of 21.21) after necessary consents and ethical approval were obtained. With the aid of sliding caliper, Nasal breadths and heights were measured to the last 0. 01 cm. Nasal index (NI) was calculated as the ratio of nasal breadth and nasal height, and data were analyzed statistically. The Nasal heights ranged from 3.10cm to 8.00cm in these students with a mean ± SD of 5.46 ± 0.9. The breadths ranged from 1.90cm to 6.90cm with mean ± SD of 3.94 ± 0.7. The NI was observed to have mean ± SD 73.27 ± 13.64 % and classified as Mesorrhine in both male and female students. The mean ± SD NI was however observed to be 72.77 ± 12.25% in males while it was 73.62 ± 14.61 females and classified as Mesorrhine (medium size noses) in both sexes. This provides baseline data, valuable in Nasal Anthropometry for Clinical practice, Reconstructive Surgery, and Forensic Anatomy.

Key Words: Nasal index, Nasal Anthropometry, Mesorrhine, Forensic Anatomy