Skeletal age determination in young children of Nawabshah

Skeletal age was determined in 323 normal children [172 males and 151 females] aged 1-8 years. The male children matured similar to Greulich - Pyle standards during first year and showed retardation after this age. The female children matured equal to Greulich -Pyle standards upto two years, after that period they showed retardation. The retardation was found generally in all the bones, but it was particularly more in carpal bones of both the sexes. This might be due to malnutrition, ill health or some other environmental factors, for which a longitudinal study is suggested

Age of fusion for epiphysis elbow and wrist in normal children

The age of fusion of the epiphysis at elbow and wrist has been studied radio logically at department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Chandka Medical College, Larkana, during 1999-2000. One hundred eighty normal children [75 females and 105 males] of average middle class aged 12 to 19 years were examined. The females were 1 to 2 years advanced as compared to the males in their fusion time. All the epiphysis at elbow [excluding medical epicondyle] showed complete fusion at the age of 15 years in females and 17 years in males, while fusion time at wrist was found 17 years in females and 19 years in males. It was found that the time of fusion in present study was 1-3 years earlier than English but was nearly correlating to Australian or even 1-2 years late to Indian and Bengali children

Hyoid fractures and strangulation

Thirty four [34] medicolegal autopsies on strangulation deaths were conducted during 7 years period [1993 to 2000] in the department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Chandka Medical College, Larkana. The prevalence of fracture of Hyoid bone in strangled cases was found 14.7%. This percentage was lower than most of the reported studies except one study carried out in USA where the incidence was found in 11.8% cases. The fracture of hyoid bone was noted very high in mannual strangulation [50%] and was more common in the age groups above 40 years

Time of fusion for the epiphyses of the hand and wrist bones

A radiographic study about the time of fusion for the epiphyses of the hand and wrist bones was carried out at Shaikh Zayed Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore during 1990-91. Four hundred and two Pakistani children of average middle class aged 12.5 to 18 years were examined. The females were 1.5 to 2 years advanced as compared to the males in their fusion time. All the epiphyses of the hand including wrist showed the fusion at an average age of 16 years in females and 18 years in males. It was found that the time of fusion was 1-3 years earlier in our children as compared to most of the European and African countries. However, it was slightly late or nearly correlated with those of American and Bengali children

Time of appearance of ossification centres of the hand and wrist

A radiographic study of ossification centers of the hand and wrist was carried out at Shaikh Zayed Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore. Seven hundred and seventy three Pakistani children aged up to 14 years were examined. All the ossification centers of the hand and wrist [including adductor sesmoid of thumb] appeared at a mean age of 11 years in females and 13.5 years in males. The mean time of appearance of ossification centers, which was earlier than most of the European and African countries, was found to be 0.5 to 2.5 years earlier in females than in males. However, the carpal bones showed late appearance in the present study as compared to the reports from western countries