Time of fusion of the human sternebrae with one another in northwest India

Abstract

The time of fusion of the sternebrae with one another was studied in sterna obtained from cadavers of 806 male and 212 female adults and 66 male and 29 female children, on whom medicolegal postmortem examinations had been conducted by the senior author. Sterna of 31 neonates were also studied. The bones were X-rayed in an anteroposterior view and later macerated, cleaned, and dried. The sternebrae fused with one another from below upwards. In both sexes, the third and fourth sternebrae showed partial or commencement of fusion in a majority of specimens in the 0-5 years age group. Although the earliest complete fusion was seen in the 6-10 years age group, 100% specimens exhibited complete fusion in the 15-17 years age group. The earliest complete fusion between second and third sternebrae was observed in the 11-14 years age group in both sexes; it was seen in 100% of specimens in males over 25 years and in females over 30 years. The first and second segments showed earliest complete fusion in a boy of 16 years and in a girl of 18 years; 100% of specimens showed complete fusion in the males over 60 years and in the females over 30 years. A mesosternum showing complete fusion of all the sternebrae must be from a subject over 16 years of age if male and over 18 years if female. These observations are at variance with those of workers in Western countries. There has been no other report from India on this subject.