BACKGROUND Recently, a model of the ossicular chain for finite element analysis has been developed. However, the natural vibration characteristics of human ossicles have never been studied. Herein, we investigated the dynamic characteristics of the coupling of in-vivo ossicles using finite element analysis. METHODS The geometry of the ossicular chain was obtained by high-resolution computed t...

introduction: the use of ossicular graft material in ossicular chain reconstruction has significantly improved hearing results hearing after tympanoplasty and tympanomastoid surgery for chronic otitis media. today, otologists have a wide array of tools from which to choose, but may find it difficult to know which middle ear implant works best.   materials and methods: a prospective study of 80 ...

The malleus and incus in the human middle ear are linked by the incudo-malleolar joint (IMJ). The mobility of the human IMJ under physiologically relevant acoustic stimulation and its functional role in middle-ear sound transmission are still debated. In this study, spatial stapes motions were measured during acoustic stimulation (0.25-8 kHz) in six fresh human temporal bones for two conditions...

The bones of the middle ear are the smallest bones in the body and are among the most complicated functionally. They are located within the temporal bone – rendering them difficult to access and study. An accurate 3D model can offer an excellent illustration of the complex spatial relationships between the ossicles and the nerves and muscles with which they intertwine. The overall objective was...

Objective: To formulate a reliable classification of tympanic membrane retraction which is easy to use but capable of detecting small differences in retraction. Study Design: Prospective study. Methods: The classification was developed from observations dividing the drum into 3 areas: the pars tensa anterior to the malleus, type I, posterior to the malleus (subdivided into upper and lower) type...

Round window (RW) stimulation is a new type of middle ear implant's application for treating patients with middle ear disease, such as otosclerosis. However, clinical outcomes show a substantial degree of variability. One source of variability is the variation in the material properties of the ear components caused by the disease. To investigate the influence of the otosclerosis on the performa...

On the basis of dissection of 24 bones of 12 black rats a systematic anatomical description was made and measurements of selected size parameters of the temporal bone were taken. Besides the main air space in the middle ear, the tympanic bulla, there are also additional air cells, namely the anterior and posterior epitympanic recesses, containing the head of the malleus and the body of the incu...

INTRODUCTION The use of ossicular graft material in ossicular chain reconstruction has significantly improved hearing results hearing after tympanoplasty and tympanomastoid surgery for chronic otitis media. Today, otologists have a wide array of tools from which to choose, but may find it difficult to know which middle ear implant works best. MATERIALS AND METHODS A prospective study of 80 pa...