Annular ligament of stapes

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The annular ligament of stapes is part of the stapes bone in the human ear.

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Carnegie stage
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The Annular ligament of stapes (Ligamentum annulare stapedis) is a ring-like ligament in the human ear. It is part of the stapes, the smallest bone in the human body, which is one of the three ossicles in the middle ear. The annular ligament holds the stapes in place in the oval window, allowing it to transmit sound vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear.

Structure[edit]

The annular ligament of stapes is a fibrous ring that encircles the footplate of the stapes. It fits into the oval window, a membrane-covered opening between the middle ear and the inner ear. The ligament allows the stapes to pivot, which is necessary for the transmission of sound vibrations.

Function[edit]

The primary function of the annular ligament is to hold the stapes in place in the oval window. When sound waves enter the ear, they cause the tympanic membrane to vibrate. These vibrations are transmitted through the ossicles to the stapes, which pushes on the oval window. The annular ligament allows the stapes to move while maintaining its position in the oval window, ensuring that the vibrations are transmitted to the inner ear.

Clinical significance[edit]

Damage to or degeneration of the annular ligament can lead to conductive hearing loss, a type of hearing loss where sound is not effectively conducted through the outer ear canal to the eardrum and the tiny bones, or ossicles, of the middle ear.