Fracture of hyoid bone in association with gender, fusion, symmetry and various modes of strangulation.

Abstract

Introduction: U-shaped hyoid bone present in the ventral aspect of pharynx is un-likely to be fractured; therefore fracture of hyoid bone when found is a very im-portant finding in unnatural deaths.Objective: To determine association of the fracture of hyoid bone with different modes of strangulation.Methodology: This descriptive study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy and Department of Forensic Medicine; Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro Sindh Pakistan from March 2016 to March 2019. During study period total of 63 hyoid bones were grouped according to age, gender, modalities of strangulation. The bones were examined for symmetry, fusion and fracture.Results: Out of 63 bones, 55.6 % found fused and 44.5% were unfused. Among fused hyoid (n=35), 20 found in male and 15 were from female. On the other hand unfused hyoid bone is uncommon in male as compared to female (9 vs 19). The chi-square statistic is 3.9135. The p-value is .047899. Significant at p < .05. Fracture of hyoid bone identified in 30; among these 23 were fused and 7 were unfused.Conclusion: When cause of death is strangulation, fused hyoid fractured more com-monly as compared to unfused hyoid bone.
 Keywords: Forensic Age, Fracture Hyoid, Strangulation. Fusion, of Hyoid.