Intraoperative assessment of ossicular fixation.

We report measurements of the vibration response at the umbo, the tip of the incus long process and the lateral posterior crus of the stapes before and after artificially fixing the stapes footplate and anterior mallear ligament with luting cement. Results were obtained on temporal bones, but the practicality of the method allows easy clinical implementation. Velocity ratios between different measurement points along the ossicular chain may provide a quantitative indication of the degree of stapes fixation. Isolated anterior mallear ligament fixation was not distinguishable from the unfixed condition.
PMID: 27034152 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Hearing Research - March 27, 2016 Category: Audiology Authors: Peacock J, Dirckx J, von Unge M Tags: Hear Res Source Type: research