title: Histologic changes in the anterior mallear ligament and the head of the malleus in otosclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine ossicular and anterior mallear ligament (AML) changes in otosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hyalinization of AML was graded as follows: none, patchy, or diffuse in 95 temporal bones (TBs) with otosclerosis: 52 with stapedial fixation (SF); 43 without fixation (NSF); and 52 age-matched controls. Fixation of the head of the malleus was noted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hyalinization with SF was 17 none, 23 patchy, and 12 diffuse; with NSF it was 16 none, 20 patchy, and 7 diffuse; and in controls, 23 none, 24 patchy, and 5 diffuse. There was no significant difference in hyalinization among groups and no correlation between degree of hyalinization and age. The malleus head was fixed in 4 TBs with SF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on our findings, we do not believe that there is a relationship between hyalinization of the AML and otosclerosis; however, otosclerosis with SF seems to be a predisposing factor for fixation of the head of the malleus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Otitis Media Research Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Mehmet F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Oktay
authors.forename: Sebahattin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cureoglu
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Schachern
authors.forename: Evin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gulbahce
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Paparella
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayasi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008022:Ligaments / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008307:Malleus / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010040:Otosclerosis / Q000473:pathology*