Individual anatomical variability of the human external ear (literature review)

Abstract

The human outer ear is a complex three-dimensional structure morphologically adapted to receive sound waves and adapt them for perception by the following departments - the auditory canal, the eardrum, the inner ear. This study is devoted to analysing data from literary sources on the shape and size of the anatomical components of the ear of healthy people, which will be useful for further study of differences related to gender, age and ethnicity. The research methods are also considered, and their feasibility of use depends on the ultimate goal and field of use - anthropology, forensic medicine, reconstructive and reconstructive surgery. The applied use of this information allows you to choose a more advanced form of prostheses, which improves their functionality, and to develop new tools for diagnosing and treating various diseases in people of different ages, genders and body types. It was found that the topic of individual anatomical variability of the human outer ear is currently relevant and is actively studied by many researchers in different countries. In addition, knowledge of its limits and features is necessary in many fields - from clinical anatomy to forensic medicine, from remote identification of a person to the manufacture of headphones and earplugs. The conclusions suggest the need for further research to increase the factual material to obtain reliable data and determine the most appropriate methods that correspond to the essence of the study