Role of Estimation of Total Length of Femur from its Fragments on Medico-legal Cases
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/Keywords:
Femur length, Fragmentary measurements, Stature, Regression equationAbstract
In most forensic anthropological investigations, stature is estimated using the combined dimensions of bones responsible for living stature or using regression equations based on complete long bone length measurements. However, in mass disasters, burns and in skeletal cases where many of these bones are carried off by the animalsthese methods cannot be applied because intact long bones are not available. As a result anthropologists have developed methods for reconstructing stature based on measurements of fragments of long bones. From these measurements bone length is estimated and then the estimated bone length is used to estimate stature. This study was done on 162 grossly normal and completely ossified femora (86 males and 76 females femora) taken from osteology sections of the departments of Anatomy and Forensic Medicine, SGRDIMSAR, Amritsar. With the help of improvised osteometric board the maximum total length of all the femora and linear, transverse, sagital and circumferential measurements of the segments were taken simultaneously. The ranges, arithmetic means, standard deviations, correlation coefficient and regression equations were then calculated with the help of stature formulae, the length so calculated may be used in determining the probable stature of a person. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that length of femur can be estimated from measures of different segments of bone.
Downloads
References
1. Muller G. Zur bestimmung der lange beschadigter Extremitatenknochen. Anthrop Anz 1935; 12: 70-72.
2. Chandra A, Dass R, Khanna JK. Reconstruction of the total length of femur from its fragments – A preliminary report. J Anat Soc India 1966; 15: 92-95.
3. Steele DG, Mckern TM. A method for assessment of maximum long bone length and living stature from fragmentary long bones. Am J Phys Anthrop 1969; 31: 215-27.
4. Chandra NS, Nath S. Reconstruction of femoral and humeral bone lengths using a fragmentary bone measure. Ind J Phy Anthrop Hum Genes 1985; 11: 123-28.
5. Pelin IC, Duyar I. Estimating stature from tibia length: a comparison of methods. J Forensic Sci 2003; 48(4): 21-26.
6. Chibba K, Bidmos MA. Estimation of stature and maximum long bone length of the tibia from fragments of the tibia in South Africans of Europian descent. Forensic Sc Int 2007; 169(2): 145- 51.
7. Dan U, Mukhopadhyay PP, Ghosh TK, Biswas S. Estimation of stature from fragment of long bone (tibia) in Indian Bengalee population. J Anat Soc India 2000; 58(2): 169-172.
8. Peterson HC. On the accuracy of estimating living stature from skeletal length in the grave and by linear regression. Int J Osteoarchaeology 2002; 15: 106-114.
9. Celbis O, Agritmis H. Estimation of stature and determination of sex from radial and ulnar bone lengths in a Turkish Corpse sample. Forensic Sci Int2006; 158 (2-3): 135-39.
10. Raxter MH, Auerbach BM and Ruff CB. Revision of fully technique for estimating stature. Am J Phy Anthropol 2006; 130(3): 374-84.
11. Krishan K. Anthropometry in forensic medicine and forensic sciences. Internet J Forensic Sci 2007;.2(1):
12. Peterovecki V, Mayer D, Slaus M et al. Prediction of stature based on radiographic measurements of cadaver long bones: a study of creation population. J For Sci 2007; 52(3): 547-52.
13. Krogman WM, Iscane MY. The human skeleton in forensic medicine. Springfield Charles C Thomas 1986.
14. Nath S, Badkur P. Reconstruction of stature from long bone lengths. Int J Osteoarchaeology 2002; 1: 109-14.
15. Iscane MY. Forensic anthropology of sex and body size. Forensic Sci Int 2005; 147: 107-12.
16. Trotter M and Glesser GC. Estimation of stature from long bones of American white sand Negros. Am J Phys Anthropol 1952; 10: 463-514.
17. Demendonca MC. Estimation of height from length of long bones in Portuguese adult population. Am J Physical Anthropology 2000; 112 (1): 39-48.
18. Nath S, Gupta GD, Badkur P, Sehgal VN. Reconstruction of living stature from fragmentary measurements of femur. Proceedings of IX. All India Forensic Science Conferences Shimla 1995; 148-162.
