MORPHOMETRY AND VARIATIONS OF MALLEUS WITH CLINICAL CORRELATIONS

Background: Ossicular morphology and morphometric considerations play cornerstone importance in reconstructive surgeries. An attempt is made to have an insight into such morphological variations and evaluate the morphometric values of malleus in south Indian population through cadaveric dissection. Materials and methods: 25 human head specimens taken from the dissection hall, after removal of brain and duramater, subarcuate fossa and arcuate eminance of the petrous part of the temporal bone were chipped off with help of fine edged chissel and hammer. With help of bone cutter the tegmen tympani forming the remaining roof was removed, till the middle ear cavity and three ossicles are properly exposed and identified. Results: Malleus height ranged from 6.94 mm to 7.78 mm on both sides with average of 7.37mm on right and 7.51 mm on left. Weight ranged from 16.85 mg to 19.25 mg with average of 18 mg on right side and 18.52 mg on left both side. Length and weight of left malleus bones were statistically more than their right counterparts. Conclusions: Morphologically malleus showed lesser variations in comparison to stapes. The left sided malleus dominated the right sided ones in both length and weight.