PURPOSE CT analysis of the stapes is difficult in the axial plane (AP), because of its oblique orientation. Oblique axial reformations could provide a more precise analysis of the stapes in normal and pathologic conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS CT of the temporal bone was performed in 31 patients. Only the normal side was examined in the AP and oblique axial plane (OAP), in the plane of the ...

(cavities), canals, and fissures. Crucial nerves, blood vessels, and auditory and vestibular organs coexist in this dense bone structure in a complex 3D configuration , causing medical science to once regard the temporal bone as a surgically forbidden area (see Figure 1). Today, otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat) surgeons still find it difficult to envision and master these complex anatomic...

Introduction Observing the obliquity of stapes by closely scrutinizing the HRCT temporal bone in otosclerosis revealed a reliable and consistent finding. This finding can add to the existing radiological criteria in diagnosis of otosclerosis. Objective The objective of this study is to establish the obliquity of stapes in otosclerosis by radiological measurements using HRCT temporal bone by com...

OBJECTIVES A non-progressive and conductive hearing loss with normal eardrum, but no history of trauma and infection, is highly suggestive of a congenital ossicular malformation. Among ossicular anomalies, stapes anomaly is the most common. The purpose of this study is to describe patterns of stapes anomaly and to analyze its surgical outcome with special reference to its patterns. METHODS We...

The use of alloplastic materials in ossicular reconstruction has a long history. However, many new materials have been described and become commercially available without any evidence that they are superior to the existing ones. The aim of the present literature review is to understand why changes in materials used for ossicular reconstruction have occurred. The literature review was conducted ...

HYPOTHESIS It was hypothesized that the differences in the bioacoustic performance of ossicular replacement prosthesis designs, and insertion positions, could be quantified using finite element analysis. BACKGROUND Many designs of prosthesis are available for middle ear surgery. The materials used, and the shape of the implants, differ widely. Advances in computer simulation technologies offe...

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS Tympanic middle ears have evolved multiple times independently among vertebrates, and share common features. We review flexibility within tympanic middle ears and consider its physiological and clinical implications. COMPARATIVE ANATOMY The chain of conducting elements is flexible: even the 'single ossicle' ears of most non-mammalian tetrapods are functionally 'double os...

In this article, a new tool for the intraoperative measurement of distances within the middle ear by means of a micromanipulator is presented. The purpose of this work was to offer the surgeon a highly accurate tool for measuring the distances between two points in the 3D operational field. The tool can be useful in various operations; this article focuses, however, on measuring the distance be...

This paper presents the results of non-contact measurements of the human ear round window (RW) membrane motion in freshly harvested human cadaver temporal bone specimens. A PSV 400 Scanning Laser Vibrometer system (Polytec, Waldbronn, Germany) was used to determine the effect of stapedotomy on the sound-induced displacement amplitude of the RW membrane. The vibration patterns were measured in t...

PURPOSE Otosclerosis is a metabolic bone disease of the otic capsule that can cause the stapes fixation, resulting in conductive hearing loss or, in a profound sensorineural deafness threshold. Surgery is one of the possible treatments for the otosclerosis. To repair small focus of otosclerosis in the anterior crus of the stapes, in 1960, Hough suggested the implementation of a technique in whi...