Medical Illustrator Tim Fedak PhD

The malleus is the most lateral of the three middle ear bones. The malleus lies adjacent to the tympanic membrane, and transfers the vibrations of the typmanic membrane to the incus, which then vibrates the stapes and transmits the vibrational signal to the oval window. The manubrium is often referred to as the handle of the malleus. The anterior process fits into the petrotympanic fissure, and can be of variable size, and is often found to be fractured or partially resorbed without apparent hearing loss (Anatomy of the temporal bone with surgical implications. 1994 Gulya and Schuknecht).