Malleus
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At the time the article was created Frank Gaillard had no recorded disclosures.
View Frank Gaillard's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Craig Hacking had the following disclosures:
- Philips Australia, Paid speaker at Philips Spectral CT events (ongoing)
These were assessed during peer review and were determined to not be relevant to the changes that were made.
View Craig Hacking's current disclosures- Mallei (ossicle)
The malleus (plural: mallei) is the most lateral middle ear ossicle, located between the tympanic membrane and the incus.
On this page:
Gross anatomy
The malleus has a head, neck, and three distinct processes (manubrium (handle), anterior and lateral processes).
The head is oval in shape, and articulates posteriorly with the incus by a small facet joint. The facet for articulation with the incus is saddle-shaped, constricted near the middle, and consists of an upper larger and lower smaller part, which form nearly a right angle with each other.
The neck is the narrow contracted part just beneath the head; below it, is a prominence to which the various processes are attached.
The manubrium (handle) is connected by its lateral margin with the tympanic membrane. It is directed downward, medially, and backward; it decreases in size toward its free end, which is curved slightly forward, and flattened transversely. On its medial side, near its upper end, is a slight projection, into which the tendon of the tensor tympani muscle is inserted.
The anterior process is a delicate spicule, which springs from the eminence below the neck and is directed forward to the petrotympanic fissure, to which it is connected by ligamentous fibers.
The lateral process is a slight conical projection, which springs from the root of the manubrium; it is directed laterally, and is attached to the upper part of the tympanic membrane and, by means of the anterior and posterior malleolar folds, to the extremities of the notch of Rivinus.
Three suspensory ligaments, namely the anterior, lateral and superior malleal ligaments, attach the malleus to the walls of the middle ear, providing stability.
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Radiographic appearance
CT
Its appearance on axial CT is that of a ball of ice cream on a cone, representing the body and short crus of the incus (the ice cream cone sign).
History and etymology
"Malleus" is Latin for hammer.
References
- 1. McMinn. Last's Anatomy. Churchill Livingstone. (2011) ISBN:0702033952. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Clemente CD. Anatomy. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (2011) ISBN:1582558892. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
Incoming Links
- Pars flaccida
- Branchial apparatus
- Incudomalleolar joint
- Suspensory ligaments of the middle ear ossicles
- Epitympanum
- Ice cream cone sign (middle ear ossicles)
- Axial skeleton
- Anterior epitympanic recess
- CHARGE syndrome
- Incus
- Pars tensa
- Myringosclerosis
- Chorda tympani
- Fissula ante fenestram
- Tensor tympani muscle
- Middle ear
- Mesotympanum
- Petrotympanic fissure
- Tympanic membrane
- Prussak space
- Ossicles (Gray's illustrations)
- Odontoid fracture and incudomalleolar disruption
- Incudomalleolar dislocation
- Epidural hematoma, temporal bone fracture and incudomalleolar joint disruption
- Longitudinal temporal bone fracture with incudo-malleolar disruption
- Middle ear anatomy (illustration)
- Malleus: annotated CT
- Malleus (illustration)
- Ossicles (illustration)
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