| Malleus | |
|---|---|
 Left malleus. A. From behind. B. From within. | |
 The righteardrum with the hammer and thechorda tympani, viewed from within, from behind, and from above (malleus visible at center) | |
| Details | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmæliəs/ |
| Precursor | Firstbranchial arch |
| Part of | Middle ear |
| System | Auditory system |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | malleus |
| MeSH | D008307 |
| TA98 | A15.3.02.043 |
| TA2 | 881 |
| FMA | 52753 |
| Anatomical terms of bone | |
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| This article is one of a series documenting the anatomy of the |
| Human ear |
|---|
Themalleus, orhammer, is a hammer-shaped small bone orossicle of themiddle ear. It connects with theincus, and is attached to the inner surface of theeardrum. The word is Latin for 'hammer' or 'mallet'. It transmits the sound vibrations from the eardrum to theincus (anvil).
The malleus is a bone situated in the middle ear. It is the first of the threeossicles, and attached to theeardrum (tympanic membrane). The head of the malleus is the large protruding section, which attaches to theincus. The head connects to the neck of malleus. The bone continues as the handle (or manubrium) of malleus, which connects to the tympanic membrane.[1] Between the neck and handle of the malleus, lateral and anterior processes emerge from the bone.[2][3] The bone is oriented so that the head is superior and the handle is inferior.[3]
Embryologically, the malleus is derived from the firstpharyngeal arch along with theincus.[3] In humans it grows fromMeckel's cartilage.[3]
The malleus is one of threeossicles in themiddle ear which transmit sound from thetympanic membrane (ear drum) to theinner ear. The malleus receives vibrations from the tympanic membrane and transmits this to the incus.[2]
The malleus may bepalpated bysurgeons duringear surgery.[1] It may become fixed in place due to surgical complications, causing hearing loss.[1] This may be corrected with further surgery.[1]
Several sources attribute the discovery of the malleus to theanatomist andphilosopherAlessandro Achillini.[4][5] The first brief written description of the malleus was byBerengario da Carpi in hisCommentaria super anatomia Mundini (1521).[6]Niccolo Massa'sLiber introductorius anatomiae[7] described the malleus in slightly more detail and likened both it and theincus to little hammers terming themmalleoli.[8]
Themalleus is unique to mammals, andevolved from a lower jaw bone in basalamniotes called thearticular, which still forms part of the jaw joint in reptiles and birds.[9][10]
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