Histologic changes in the anterior mallear ligament and the head of the malleus in otosclerosis

OBJECTIVE: To determine ossicular and anterior mallear ligament (AML) changes in otosclerosis. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: 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. CONCLUSION: 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. (c) 2006 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck-Surgery Foundation, Inc, All rights reserved.