Identification of Sex from Carotid Canal in South Indian Population

There are many criteria for sexual diamorphism of crania after puberty such as prominence of superciliary arches, breadth of Foramen magnum, depth of diagastric groove, width of Zygomatic arches, length and breadth of mastoid process but least data is available for sexual dimorphism. As CC is a Greek word means sleep. Greek ancestors thought that, the internal carotid artery, sympathetic nerve plexus, venous plexus transmits through cc bring the sleep [2]. As CC is the large rounded foramen in the basal surface of petrous in front of Jugular foramen which gives passage for ICA. The cc is curved upwards, forwards and medially long axis of the petrous bone and opens in the foramen lacerum [3]. In recent advances of skull surgery, approaches to cavernous sinus and frontal skull base transzygomatic approach through middle skull base since ISA runs inside the temporal bone restricts the surgical procedure. Hence it is mandatory to preserve the ICA .hence if we know the sex we can predict the diameter of ICA [4]. Because in some cranial walls of the cc was found to be very thin hence vulnerable during the surgery around the clival region. Hence attempt was made to study the diameter of CC in crania of both sexes so that approaches to the cavernous sinus may save the ICA. It is also observed that 35% CC is dehiscence in the typantic cavity reminds otologist the anatomical knowledge of CC and temporal bone [5]. Moreover the study of sexual dimorphism has medicolegal, anthropological and anatomical important as metrical values of mesodermal values are uncertain.