Anatomical Variation of Sternal Angle and Body: a Cross sectional study

Background: The sternum is one of the important skeletal components ofthoracic case that frequently has congenital defects, and researchers routinely use variances to ascertain an individual's age and sex. Additionally, it helps the physician with biopsy procedures as well as therapy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphological characteristics of sternal body and sternal angle in both sexes. Method: This cross-sectional stuywas carried out at the Department of Anatomy, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College. For this purpose, 100 dried ossified sternums of unknown sex had been collected. The sample was collected in compliance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Discriminant function analysis was used to determine the sex of each sternum (DFA). Study variables were the maximum length of sternal body, maximum breadth of sternal body, thickness of the sternal body and sternal angle. Variables were measured using a vernier caliper and documented in a pre-designed data sheet. Result: The mean length of the body of sternum was 93.84±23.31 mm in male and 82.84±14.8 mm in female. The mean width of the body of the sternum was 35.3±10.83 mm in male and 29.22±9.65 mm in female. The thickness of the body of the sternum is 19.86±9.91 mm in males and 16.12±7.39 mm in females. Analysis revealed that length of body sternum, width of body of sternum and thickness of body of sternum were higher in male than female which was statistically significant (p<0.05).The mean angle of sternum was 148.29±8.240 degrees in males and 149.32±9.690degrees in females, respectively. The difference was statistically not significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: In females, the maximum sternal length, maximum sternal breadth, and maximum sternal thickness were all significantly lower.