Abstract
In forensic and archeological studies, there is the need for identification of human skeletal remains. The greater sciatic notch is very relevant in identification of sex in human skeletal remains. Over the years, different authors had carried various types of measurements on human greater sciatic notch of different sex and races. This study was carried out to determine if indices in the greater sciatic notch can be used in sexing of the hip in South- South Nigerians with the help of radiograph and to establish a baseline data for the population. Anterior-posterior radiographs of adult pelvis (age range, 18-75 years) were evaluated. Five hundred and eighteen (518) radiographs (259 males and 259 females) were those of the South-South people of Nigeria. The parameters considered are maximum width (AB); maximum depth (CO); and the posterior segment (OB), index I and index II of the greater sciatic notch The mean values of maximum width, maximum depth, posterior segment, index I and index II of males in South-South Nigerian people were 42.24±10.00 (mm), 15.60±3.12 (mm); 14.65±5.24 (mm); 38.81±11.88 and 34.55±7.87 respectively while those of their females were 50.73±10.13 (mm), 14.91±3.39 (mm); 21.39±5.74 (mm); 30.10±7.48 and 42.18±7.57 respectively. The maximum width, posterior segment and index II of the females were significantly higher than that of the males (p<0.05). The maximum depth and index I of the males was significantly higher than that of the females (p<0.05). Identification of sex was carried out with help of demarking point, using mean±3S.D. None of the parameters where useful in identification of sex with the use of radiographs. When comparing our result with the works done by other authors there were racial differences. our observation suggest that metric assessment of the features of the greater sciatic notch with the use of radiograph in South-South Nigerian population should not be used in sex determination, particularly in the case of fragmentary forensic or rare archaeological remains.
Highlights
Sexing of the hip for medico-legal cases should be given a first line charge in our society
Different results related to the role of the features of the greater sciatic notch in sex determination were obtained in those studies
The morphology of the greater sciatic notch has been used in different studies addressing different populations for sex determination
Summary
Sexing of the hip for medico-legal cases should be given a first line charge in our society. Medical studies of various indices have been carried out Such indices include ischiopubic index (Singh and Potturi, 1978), indices of the greater sciatic notch (SegebarthOrban, 1980) and chilotic index (Derry, 1924). These indices have been measured in different races and ethnic groups. Metric assessment of the greater sciatic notch has been carried out in several studies and has been evaluated for sex identification (Palfrey, 1974; Singh and Potturi, 1978; Dibennardo and Taylor, 1983; Kayalioglu et al, 1995; Akpan et al, 1998; Patriquin et al, 2002, 2003, 2005; Steyn et al, 2004). Different results related to the role of the features of the greater sciatic notch in sex determination were obtained in those studies
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