European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background: In a densely populate, demographically diverse and vast country like India, the identity establishment of a dead person assumes great medico-legal importance. It also poses a true challenge to the forensic pathologist working in an environment where decomposition and taphonomic process are highly rapid and variable. One of the important pillars for identification is the stature. The estimation of age, sex and stature are vital for skeletal samples, when found from sites in mixed lot. So, a technique is urgently needed for reconstruction of total length of long bones from their fragments. This investigation was designed to estimate the total length of ulnas using its fragmentary bone length in a population specific study. In addition to this, the goal was to deploy them in stature formulae for population specific cases and lastly to estimate the stature of the individual.
Materials and Methods: After getting institutional ethical committee clearance, the study over 50 Ulna Bone revealed linear equation where total length of ulna was used as dependent variable and the different fragmentary length being the independent variables.
Results: The measurements of both sides (left and right) were grouped and noted separately but the results were pooled to obtain the regression equation. This was done because no significant difference in measurement between the left and right side in the sample of 50 ulna bones. The following Regression Equation was obtained:-
TOTAL LENGTH OF ULNA = 3.85+ 4.53QR +0.71ST +1.81PQ+0.32 TU
R SQUARED VALUE = 0.97.
Conclusion: This study was a preliminary work and a pilot project for estimating the regression equation to reconstruct the total length of ulna from its fragmentary lengths in a population specific sample (Eastern Indian population). Being population specific, it can be applied in disputed cases of identification of mutilated and fragmentary human remains of that geographic region and can be of immense help in future, especially for the law enforcement agencies in the case of mass disasters.