Stapes

to occur (McGuirt et al, 1998). Scientists continue to work on this hypothesis because they have reason to believe that the measles virus predisposes patients to Otosclerosis. They have found viral material in the nucleic acid of the otosclerotic stapes footplates (Karosi et al 2008) and increased levels of antibodies to

vibrations go to the central part of the eardrum connected to a small bone of the middle ear called the malleus. Then as the malleus vibrates, it transmits sound waves to the incus and stapes. The incus and stapes are two small bones that are part of the middle ear. They are also called ossicles. As the stapes move, it pushes the oval window in and out. This movement is passed to an auditory inner ear that functions to convert sound vibrations into neural messages. This inner ear is called

made up of a complex interconnectedness of small bones. The incus, stapes and malleus are the three small bones of which the inner ear is composed. The function of this evolutionary development is to allow for hearing and furthermore acts to assist in balance. These three bones are collectively referred to as ossicles. The efficiency of these features allow for an acute sense of hearing in vertebrates. The physical shape of the stapes varies among different cladistics groups of animals. Specifically

human body, the stapes, is the bone that is affected by otosclerosis. Bone remodeling is a natural, life-long process in which bone tissue regenerates itself by growing new tissue, replacing the old tissue. However, with otosclerosis the stapes go through abnormal bone remodeling, which disrupts the ability of sound to move through the middle to the inner ear. This is because the growth that develops on the stapes causes it to become fixed, which keeps it from vibrating. If the stapes can’t move freely

7. The pars flaccida is a smaller portion of the tympanic membrane located superior to the manubrium and medial to the anterior and posterior malleolar folds. It is triangular shaped and is the thinnest part of the tympanic membrane. Since it is so thin, this means that it has more elasticity or is less stiff. This elasticity allows low frequencies, which have high displacement to become amplified. In contrast, the pars tensa has less elasticity and is more stiff, so it attenuates the low frequencies

shows the middle part of the ear, housing the Ossicular Chain (incus, malleus, and stapes) that moves as the mechanical energy is transferred to the chain from the vibration of the eardrum. The movement of stapes (last bone in the chain) causes the round window to move. The fourth flash video models the transfer of the mechanical energy into hydraulic energy within the cochlea as the round window vibrates with the stapes (from the Ossicular Chain).

as the Tympanic membrane, is responsible for transmitting sound waves from the outer ear into the inner ear. It accomplishes this by using three bones which are called the auditory ossicles. The three bones involved are the Malleus, the incus and stapes. These bones connect the tympanic membrane (eardrum) to the oval window of the inner ear. Each bone has a special function in the transmission of vibrations that will be discussed below. Although, the middle ear is usually good at maintaining balance

noise may cause the hairs or nerve cells in the cochlea to wear out and become less effective. A buildup of earwax can block the ear canal and prevent of sound waves from entering the eardrum. Otosclerosis, a genetic form of hearing loss in which the stapes is fixed

connects to the stapes and the connection is normally only 1.5 mm in thickness. Tympanoplasty with ossicular reconstruction is a procedure to re-establish the connection between the eardrum and the inner ear through prosthesis or reconstructed hearing bones. If the bones of hearing are eroded, then ossicular reconstruction may be necessary at the time of tympanoplasty.

bone of the middle and inner ear. The term is otosclerosis is derived from oto, meaning “of the ear” and sclerosis, meaning “abnormal hardening of body tissue.” Otosclerosis is caused when one of the bones in the middle ear, the stapes, becomes stuck in place. When the stapes is unable to vibrate, sounds are unable to travel through the ear and hearing becomes impaired. According to National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) about three million Americans are affected