The auditory ossicles are three small bones in the middle ear - the malleus, incus, and stapes. The malleus is hammer-shaped and attaches to the tympanic membrane. It articulates with the incus, which is anvil-shaped. The incus then articulates with the stapes, the smallest bone that resembles a stirrup. These bones transmit sound vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear.

3. The Auditory Ossicles
The Malleus :
Its superior part, the head, lies in the epitympanic recess.
The head articulates with the incus.
The neck, lies against the flaccid part of the tympanic
membrane.
The short process is connected by a ligament to the
the tympanic cavity.
• The Stapes:
• The base (footplate) of the stapes (L. a stirrup), the
smallest

4. • The chorda tympani nerve crosses the medial surface of the
neck of the malleus.
The handle of the malleus (L. hammer) is embedded in the
tympanic membrane and moves with it.
The tendon of thetensor tympani muscle inserts into the
handle.
The Incus :
Its large body lies in the epitympanic recess where it
articulates with the head of the malleus.
The long process of the incus (L. an anvil) articulates with the
stapes.

5. Stapes
• The stapes or stirrup is a bone in the middle ear
of humans and other animals which is involved in
the conduction of sound vibrations to the inner
ear.
• This bone is connected to the oval window by its
annular ligament, which allows the footplate to
transmit sound energy through the oval window
into the inner ear.
• The stapes is the smallest and lightest bone in the
human body, and is so-called because of its
resemblance to a stirrup

6. BONE JOINT TYPE
B/W Incus & Mallus incudomalleolar saddle
B/W Incus & stepies incudostapedial ball and socket
ARTECULATION
The articulations are typical synovial joints