Mobilization of the stapes without incision; a preliminary report on mobilization of the stapes by vibrations originating at the short process of the malleus.

Abstract

During the past three months, I have been exposing the middle-ear cavity and the incudostapedial articulation in much the same manner as have other surgeons. 1 Once the articulation was visualized, a forked instrument was fitted firmly over it. A rotating, distally flattened rod was brought into contact with the shaft of the forked instrument immediately beyond the ear speculum. This generated vibrations which were transmitted through the crura and the footplate of the stapes to the stapediovestibular juncture and beyond. This technique proved successful in 12 of 18 cases (Figs. 1 and 2). The results thus far have been as successful and gratifying as those obtained with the techniques employed by others. * The pathway of the vibrations which cause motion of the stapedial footplate originates in the ear canal at the tympanic membrane. These vibrations are transmitted from the tympanic membrane through the ossicular chain to the oval window.