Middle ear: Sagittal section (Latin)

This sagittal section (medial view) of the middle ear (auris media) provides a better view of the three ossicula auditus, their parts and their ligaments. The malleus consists of a caput, collum, processus anterior, processus lateralis and manubrium mallei. It is suspended via three ligaments: the lig. superius, lig. anterius and lig. laterale mallei (the former of which is not seen on this view). The incus consists of a corpus, crus breve, crus longum and processus lenticularis incudis. It is suspended by two ligaments: lig. superius incudis and lig. posterius incudis. The stapes consists of a caput, crus anterius, crus posterius and basis stapedis; it is suspended via the lig. anulare stapedis (not shown). In addition, the m. tensor tympani is clearly seen on this view, running through the semicanalis tensoris tympani of the os temporale across the processus cochleariformis which acts as a pulley for this muscle. This view also provides a visual of the m. stapedius, which attaches on the collum stapedis.