Anthropometric measurements of external ear of medical students in Uttarakhand Region

Objective: This study aimed at determining the mean values of the different morphometric measurements from right and left ears and at giving information about sex-related dimensions of ear, right-left symmetry, and age-related changes. Methodology: Measurements are taken from 177 healthy young medical students (84 women and 93 men) aged 17-25 years using a vernier calliper. The parameters measured were total ear height (TEH), ear width (EW), lobular height (LH), and lobular width (LW) for each subject's right and left ears. Result and conclusion: The mean values for TEH, EW, LH and LW, ear and lobular index in female subjects were found to be respectively 5.77 ± 0.38 cm, 2.87 ± 0.28 cm, 1.68 ± 0.21 cm, 1.95 ± 0.22 cm, 49.79 ± 4.75 cm, 116.86 ± 15.01 cm for left ear, and 0.74 ± 0.38 cm, 2.88 ± 0.22 cm, 1.67 ± 0.24 cm, 1.92 ± 0.21 cm, 50.26 ± 4.09 cm, 117.33 ± 19.28 cm for the right ear. However, in the male subjects, these values were, respectively, 6.03 ± 0.33 cm, 3.06 ± 0.25 cm, 1.69 ± 0.20 cm, 1.96 ± 0.23 cm, 50.75 ± 3.92 cm, 117.33 ± 16.70 cm for left ear, and 6.04 ± 0.36 cm, 3.02 ± 0.21 cm, 1.66 ± 0.20 cm, 1.96 ± 0.20 cm, 50.21 ± 3.88 cm, 119.07 ± 14.60 cm for the right ear. Comparisons were performed by independent t-test and paired samples t-test. All ear dimensions were significantly larger in males than in females (p < 0.001) and a significant effect of age was found.