Morphology of a columellaform stapes.
A columellaform stapes found in male patient 18 years old with a conductive hearing loss, has been examined by SEM and light microscopy. The ossicle was smaller than a normal stapes. The head was linked to the base by a crural plate, probably formed by the fusion of the material of the two crura. Microscopy showed a slightly less interwoven structure of the fibrillar bone present mainly at the cranial aspect of the crural plate. Honeycomb-like bone was confined to the caudal part of the crural plate. Microscopy revealed a cavity in the centre of the stapes at the transition between the base and the plate. During surgery, a bony structure was found linking the posterior side of the head of the stapes to the pyramidal eminence. Post-operative audiograms revealed improved hearing with some residual conductive loss of about 10 dB. This case illustrates that a columellaform stapes may occur without forming part of a syndrome.
Vande Maele
C
C
Laboratory of Anatomy and Embryology, University of Ghem.
Van Cauwenberge
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P
Kluyskens
P
P
Vakaet
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D004429:Ear Ossicles / Q000473:pathology*; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000473:pathology*; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013199:Stapes / Q000473:pathology*