Anthropometric Analysis of the Normal Auricle in the Adult Egyptian Population: A Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Anthropometry is the scientific study of human body measurements. The auricle has long been a subject of interest in anthropometric research due to its variability in size and shape. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the anthropometric variations of the auricle in the adult Egyptian population using standardized measurements. Patients and Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted over a one-year period at the Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (ORL-HNS) outpatient clinic of Mansoura University Hospitals, Egypt. A total of 1,200 adult Egyptian participants (yielding 2,400 auricles) were included. Anthropometric measurements of the auricle were obtained using standardized techniques to assess auricular length, auricular width, lobular length, and lobular width for both right and left ears. Results: Auricular length and width measurements for both right and left ears demonstrated excellent discriminatory power between sexes. The optimal cut-off points for sex differentiation were: right auricular length ≥2.55 cm, left auricular length ≥2.47 cm, right auricular width ≥1.44 cm, and left auricular width ≥1.395 cm, with corresponding sensitivities of 86.0%, 87.2%, 71.7%, and 75.0%, respectively. Lobular dimensions showed fair discriminatory ability, with optimal cut-off points of right lobular length ≥0.645 cm, left lobular length ≥0.625 cm, right lobular width ≥0.656 cm, and left lobular width ≥0.595 cm, yielding sensitivities of 75.5%, 73.0%, 81.7%, and 62.7%, respectively. Conclusion: Establishing normative auricular measurements is essential for the diagnosis and management of congenital anomalies, syndromic conditions, and acquired deformities. These data also support applications in reconstructive surgery, forensic identification, and the design of hearing aid devices.