MORPHOMETRIC EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE NASAL PYRAMID IN MELANODERM IN THE SAINT-LOUIS REGION OF SENEGAL : PROSPECTIVE STUDY OVER 4 MONTHS

Introduction: the nose is a median projection of the face located above the upper lip and which, by overhanging it, covers the orifice of the nasal cavity, which constitutes the upper segment of the respiratory tract and contains the organ of olfaction. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiological data and the main variations found in the shape of the nasal pyramid in melanoderm in the Saint Louis region of Senegal. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study with a descriptive aim ranging from August 26, 2022 to November 30, 2022, which was carried out in the Saint Louis region of Senegal. Results: over a period of 4 months, we collected 257 files with a participation rate of 100%. We observed a female predominance of 52% (n=134) of cases. The average age of the individuals was 28.84 (range: 18 to 80 years). Among the morphological types studied the most encountered were the athletic and the slender. The majority of participants had no particular history, i.e. 96%. During recruitment, we found that the majority of individuals had an oval face shape. Conclusion: With the analysis of normative data, this study explored the differences in size and shape of the noses of Senegalese melanoderm adults. The data collected in the present investigation can serve as a database for the quantitative description of nasal morphology in our context. The parameters evaluated in this study provide important data for forensic medicine, physical anthropometry database and to guide surgeons in rhinoplasty, nasal reconstruction in Senegalese adults.