The ligaments of malleus are three

ligament A ligament is the fibrous connective tissue that connects bones to other bones. It is also known as ''articular ligament'', ''articular larua'', ''fibrous ligament'', or ''true ligament''. Other ligaments in the body include the: * Peritoneal l ...

s that attach the

malleus The malleus, or hammer, is a hammer-shaped small bone or ossicle of the middle ear. It connects with the incus, and is attached to the inner surface of the eardrum. The word is Latin for 'hammer' or 'mallet'. It transmits the sound vibrations f ...

in the

middle ear The middle ear is the portion of the ear medial to the eardrum, and distal to the oval window of the cochlea (of the inner ear). The mammalian middle ear contains three ossicles, which transfer the vibrations of the eardrum into waves in the ...

. They are the anterior, lateral and superior ligaments. The anterior ligament of the malleus also known as Casserio's ligament is a fibrous band that extends from the

neck The neck is the part of the body on many vertebrates that connects the head with the torso. The neck supports the weight of the head and protects the nerves that carry sensory and motor information from the brain down to the rest of the body. In ...

of the malleus just above its anterior process to the anterior wall of the

tympanic cavity The tympanic cavity is a small cavity surrounding the bones of the middle ear. Within it sit the ossicles, three small bones that transmit vibrations used in the detection of sound. Structure On its lateral surface, it abuts the external auditor ...

close to the petrotympanic fissure. Some of the fibers also pass through the fissure to the spine of sphenoid bone. The lateral ligament of the malleus is a triangular fibrous band that crosses from the posterior aspect of the tympanic notch to the head or

of the malleus. The superior ligament of the malleus is a delicate fibrous strand that crosses from the roof of the

to the head of the malleus.

Additional Images

File:Slide1ghe.JPG, Auditory ossicles. Tympanic cavity. Deep dissection.

References

Ear Human head and neck Ligaments {{ligament-stub