Anatomic and morphometric study of proximal end of dried adult human femur: clinical and medicolegal importance

Abstract

Introduction: The morphology of human femur is essential to clinical success of surgical interventions, as well as of medicolegal importance in determination of sex, stature, and even the race of a deceased person when such determinations have to be made from remnants of the bone or the intact bone.

Objective: To measure the head diameter and femur length and provide a baseline for the anthropometric measurements of proximal femur in the population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.

Materials & Methods: One hundred and twenty unpaired adult human femora, sixty each from both right and left sides, of unknown sex were examined in March 2024 from the bone bank of Anatomy department of Khyber Girls Medical College, Peshawar. Bones with typical anatomical characteristics were selected, while broken ones, or bones with gross deformities were not included in the analysis. Femoral length was measured using the osteometry board while vernier caliper was used to measure the head diameter.

Results: The femoral length ranged from 38.20 - 58.20 cm (Right = 38.30 to 58.20 cm and Left = 38.20 – 52.80 cm), with a mean of 43.19 cm (Right – 43.85 cm and Left – 42.54cm). The femoral head diameters ranged from 19 to 45 mm (Right = 19 – 45 mm and Left = 31–46 mm), with a mean of 39.58 mm (Right = 39.86 mm and Left = 39.30 mm).There was no significant difference between the values of left and right femoral parameters.

Conclusions: The morphometric values of proximal end of femur in Pakistani population are different as compared to other countries and may differ for different provinces due to racial differences. The various measurements of the proximal femur are crucial for radiologists and orthopedic surgeons to diagnose and plan treatment, as well as for anthropologists and medico-legal practitioners to determine sex.