ABSTRACT
The contour of the normal ear pine was studied in 434 Thai people i.e. 686 ears. The subjects were 219 males and 215 females who had never had sever injury or ear surgery. There age group’s were studied years, 3-5 years and 18-20 years. Four measurements were done i.e. ear width and ear length using a sliding caliper and auriculo-cephalic angle and concho-scaphalic angle using a goneometer. The results of the study revealed that the average ear width in Thais of different age groups differed little : was not much different (2.9 + 0.3 cm. At aged 0 - 2 years, 3.3 + 0.4 cm. At age 18-20 years in males and 2.8 + 0.3 cm. To 3.0 + 0.2 cm. in females. However the average ear height increased significantly with age (4.8 + 0.6 cm. At 0-2 years, 6.2 + 0.2 cm. At 18 -20 years in males and 4.7 + 0.5 cm, 6.1 + 0.2 cm. In females). The average auriculo-cephalic angle increased rapid during the early period. The increment of this angle exceeded 85 per cent of adult size at the age of 3 - 5 years (22.3 + 3.8 degrees, at aged 0 - 2 years, 28.0 + 2.5 degrees at aged 3-5 years, 28.4 + 3.1 degrees at aged 18 - 20 years in males and 21.8 + 3.6 degrees, 27.1 + 2.6 degrees and 28.2 + 1.6 degrees respectively in females). In contrast, the concho-scaphalic angle increased gradually with age (79.0 + 4.9 degrees at age 0 -2 years, 82.1 + 4.1 degrees at aged 18.20 years in males, and 79.4 + 4.6 degrees, 82.2 + 4.2 degrees in females). Statistical analysis of all the measurements of the ear pinna showed that the ear width in man at age 18 -20 years is wider than in women (3.3 + 0.4 cm. Versus 3.0 + 0.2 cm.), the ear height was significantly different (between the sexes) from aged 9 -11 years onward (5.9 + 0.4 cm. Versus 5.6 + 0.4 cm.) but there were no significant differences in either the suriculo-cephalic or the concho-scaphalic angles between males and females. Thai ear measurements when comparined with ear measurements in Caucasians were significantly smaller. This may be attributed to the different body structure of the different races. However, the percentage ratio of ear width to ear height was similar i.e. 50.60 per cent in both populations. The auriculo-cephalic angles in Thais were in the same range as western people.