First metacarpal bone: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 05:01, 18 January 2014

Revision as of 20:50, 18 January 2014

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== Ossification ==

[[File:Gray234 - First metacarpal bone.png|thumb|Ossification of hand bones. First metacarpal shown in yellow.]]

The metacarpal bone of the thumb has two centres of ossification: a primary centre in the shaft and a secondary centre in the base. This contrasts to the other four metacarpal bones where the secondary centre is found in the head. The ossification process begins in the shaft during the ninth week of prenatal life, and in the base during the second year of life in girls and the third year in boys.<ref name="Doyle-Ossification"/> When the both sexes were considered together, the ossification of base of first metacarpal was seen to start between 13 and 41 months. <ref name="AB">{{cite journal|last=Balachandran|first=Ajay|coauthors=Anooj Krishna, Moumitha Kartha, Thomas Jerry, Prem T.N., Libu G.K.|title=Ossification of Distal end of Radius & Base of First Metacarpal in Forensic Age Estimation in the Kerala Population|journal=Scholars Journal of Applied Medical Sciences|yeardate=December 2013|month=December|volume=1|issue=6|pages=796 - 800|url=http://saspublisher.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/SJAMS16796-800.pdf|accessdate=4 January 2014}}</ref>

These centres unite before fifteenth year in girls and seventeenth year in boys.