Morphometric Analysis of Radial Head and its Clinical Implications

Radius is the bone of the forearm that is present on the lateral side.The head of the radius is a fundamental element for physiology and prosthetic stability of the elbow. Fracture of radial head constitutes about boxed times rd of all elbow fractures. Now this is becoming more common because of pre existing comorbidities like osteoporosis. The aim of the study is to morphometrically analyse radial heads along with its clinical importance. For the study about 32 dry radius bone of unknown sex [right 16 and left 16] were collected from department of anatomy, saveetha dental college. Bones damaged or deformed are discarded from the purpose of the study. Anteroposterior diameter, transverse diameter, medial height and lateral height of radial head were measured using vernier callipers. The mean and standard deviation of these parameters were noted. The mean value of anteroposterior diameter of radial head for right is about 1.89mm[SD=0.169] and for left is 1.91mm[SD=0.177]. The mean value of the transverse diameter of the radial head for the right side is 1.86mm [SD=0.161] and the left side is 1.87mm[SD=0.187]. The mean value of medial height of radial head for right is 0.92mm[SD=0.090] and left is 0.82mm[SD=0.187]. The mean value of lateral height of radial head for right is 0.84mm[SD=0.293] and left is 0.73mm [SD=0.113]. Education of size and shape of radial head is essential in prosthesis and surgeries. This study concludes that both the right and left side of the radial head in all the parameters shows almost similar mean and standard deviation values. But this slight variation makes huge differences in anatomical orientations. Our study results are critical in making the radials anatomically and biomechanically suitable prosthesis.