Biomedical Research

Being a long bone and having an intramembranous ossification with earliest appearance of primary ossification (two) centres and having no medullary cavity it reflects that nature too supports its importance in gaining early strength so that it can support the developing upper limbs of the foetus earliest to provide them easy movements, our study is to determine the bilateral growth variations during the intra uterine life. 60 clavicles were obtained from 30 human foetuses ranging from 14 weeks to 33 weeks of IUL from Department of Anatomy, Jawaharlal Nehru, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. For the purpose of study, foetuses were divided into five groups on the basis of gestational age. Parameters selected to determine the bilateral variations were weight; length; circumference, AP and Vertical diameter at midshaft; AP and Vertical diameter at medial end; AP and Vertical diameter at lateral end of clavicles. All parameters were measured using vernier calliper and weight was taken by the single pan fractional weighing mechine. Students t test was used to determine the coefficient of significance, SPSS Software was used to do the calculations. Later linear graphs were prepared considering both right and left clavicles for the same parameter. It was found that bilateral variations were not significant in most of the parameters considered in our study, except thickness of its shaft at its midpoint which is more pronounced on the right side in early foetal life and on the left side in late foetal life. Thus we conclude that there is no significant bilateral variations in growth and development of clavicle during the intrauterine life. The variations that may be present in the adult clavicles are due to the factors that play their role after birth.

Author(s): Azmi Mohsin, Zeba Alam, Ekramuddin, Nafis A. Faruqi
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