The ligaments of malleus are three ligaments 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 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 auditory ...

close to the

petrotympanic fissure The petrotympanic fissure (also known as the squamotympanic fissure or the glaserian fissure) is a fissure in the temporal bone that runs from the temporomandibular joint to the tympanic cavity. The mandibular fossa is bounded, in front, by the ...

. Some of the fibers also pass through the fissure to the

spine of sphenoid bone The sphenoidal spine (Latin: "''spina angularis''") is a downwardly directed process at the apex of the great wings of the sphenoid bone that serves as the origin of the sphenomandibular ligament. Additional images File: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 neck 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