title: Conductive deafness with normal eardrum: absence of the long process of the incus.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  The most likely cause of lesions with an absence of the long process of the incus was congenital origin because many cases were associated with the stapedial anomaly. However, the possibility of a potential inflammation of this lesion could not be completely excluded, especially in cases with only an absence of the long process of the incus.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To clarify whether the absence of the long process of the incus is caused by congenital anomaly or a potential inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 21 patients (5 bilateral cases, 16 unilateral cases) with absence of the long process of the incus were reviewed. Operative and histopathological findings of the removed incus were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 21 cases with absence of the long process of the incus were classified into 6 types. Thirteen cases showed the absence of the long process associated with the stapedial anomaly, which were all unilateral. Eight cases showed no association with the stapedial anomaly, among which five cases were bilateral. Three of eight cases not associated with the stapedial anomaly showed evidence of resorption in the incus body such as fibrosis and Haversian canal widening.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea. parkkh@ajou.ac.kr
authors.forename: Keehyun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yun-Hoon
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choung
authors.forename: You Ree
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Sung Pyo
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D018450:Disease Progression; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000151:congenital / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007188:Incus / Q000002:abnormalities*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000473:pathology; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013199:Stapes / Q000002:abnormalities; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000033:anatomy & histology*