External Ear Anthropometry of Healthy Turkish Young Adults

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the external ear values in Turkish young adults with 2-dimensional photogrammetry. Methods: One hundred males and 100 females aged between 18 and 25 years were included in the study. Individuals were photographed from both sides. Ear length (superaurel-subaurel, spa-sba), ear width (preaurel-postaurel, pra-pa), and the angle between the vertical axis of the auricle and the line between spa and sba (ear incline angle, eia) were measured in these photographs. Also, auricular index (pra-pa/spa-sba×100) was calculated. Results: The average values of the spa-sba, pra-pa, eia, and auricular index were found as 65.46±4.68 mm, 37.89±3.61 mm, 19.40±4.83 degrees, and 57.93±4.53 in males and 60.90±5.35 mm, 35.62±3.69 mm, 17.95±4.86 degrees, and 58.65±5.29 in females, respectively. While the values of spa-sba (P=0.001 for the right side and P=0.001 for the left side), pra-pa (P=0.001 for the right side and P=0.001 for the left side), and eia (P=0.024 for the right side and P=0.041 for the left side) were statistically higher for males than females, there was no statistically significant difference between the sex and the auricular index (P=0.404 for the right side and P=0.955 for the left side). Besides, there was no statistically significant difference between the sides for these 4 parameters (P=0.760, 0.409, 0.225, and 0.521, respectively). Conclusion: The authors believe that the results obtained for Turkish young adults can be used as reference values, which can be used in the diagnosis, follow, or surgical treatment of many diseases, forensic procedures, and planning esthetic surgery procedures.