Bilateral high division of sciatic nerve.

Sciatic nerve is the thickest nerve in the body formed by the sacral plexus from L4 to S3 in the lesser pelvis. It emerges through the greater sciatic foramen below the piriformis and enter the gluteal region. Then the nerve passes on the back of the thigh and at the level of superior angle of popliteal fossa it terminates by dividing into tibial and common peroneal nerve. The knowledge of anatomical variations in the division of nerve is important for various surgical and anaesthetic procedures. During routine dissection in the department of anatomy, Mysore Medical College & Research Institute, Mysore, a rare bilateral high division of sciatic nerve was observed in a female cadaver aged about 40 years. In the present case there was bilateral high division of sciatic nerve. The nerve was seen dividing into two branches before it emerges through the greater sciatic foramen. The tibial nerve was entering the gluteal region below the piriformis muscle and common peroneal nerve was entering by piercing the piriformis. The knowledge of this variation is important as the nerve may get compressed with surrounding anatomical structures resulting in non discogenic sciatica. The awareness of variations is important for surgeons during various procedures like fracture, posterior dislocation of hip joint and hip joint replacement. The anatomical variations are important during deep intramuscular injections in gluteal region and also for anaesthetists during sciatic nerve block.

Stature estimation using odontometry and skull anthropometry.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possibility of estimating height from odontometry and anthropometric data of the skull for the positive identification of height in forensic investigations concerned with fragmentary human remains. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out on 100 Mysorean patients, 50 males, and 50 females. Measurements of mesiodistal widths of the six maxillary anterior teeth, circumference of the skull, and height were made directly on each patient. Anteroposterior diameter of the skull was obtained on the lateral cephalograph. The data collected were subjected to statistical methods. The known heights of the combined data, data for males, and females were regressed against the odontometric and anthropometric variables using linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Significant sexual dimorphism was observed for the parameters studied ( P 0.05). Highly significant correlation was found between height and other parameters when combined data and data for males were regressed. The equation relating height to the combined mesiodistal width of maxillary anterior teeth was derived as height = 982.421 + 13.65 x combined mesiodistal width of maxillary anterior teeth ( P 0.0001). Similarly equations were obtained by regressing height to head circumference and skull diameter ( P 0.0001 for both). The above findings may hence provide reliable method of estimation of height from skeletal remains in the forensic setup.

Palatal rugae pattern in Mysorean and Tibetan populations.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the palatine rugae pattern of Mysorean and Tibetan subjects, to assess the predominant palatine rugae pattern in Mysorean and Tibetan population, and to determine the uniqueness of palatine rugae pattern in an individual. MATERIALS: Maxillary study models of 60 subjects each (30 males and 30 females) of age group 17-23 years, of Mysorean population and Tibetan population were assessed for the length, shape, and unification of rugae based on the classification by Lysell et al. The palatine rugae were compared for the above mentioned parameters. 2 way ANOVA and Chi square tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed that males had significantly more number of total rugae on the right compared to the left side in both populations. Indian males had more primary rugae on the left side as compared to females and vice versa for the Tibetan population. Also, Indian males had more number of curved rugae on both right and left sides than Tibetan males and Tibetan females had more wavy rugae on right and left sides than Indian females. In other aspects, no significant difference or association was found. CONCLUSIONS: A statistically significant association between the total number of rugae and the gender in both the study populations exists. Parameters like the length and shape of the rugae show racial differences.