[Minor malformations of the ear ossicles. New classification and therapeutic results]

We tried to classify 46 minor malformations in 5 groups: 0: Normal ossicular chain, almost normal tympanic membrane but small atretic plate around malleus handle. I: Fixation of the malleus head. II: Normal ossicular chain but fixation of the footplate with or without abnormality of the facial nerve. III: Lack of a part of the ossicular chain with or without abnormality of the stapes. IV: Severe malformation of all the ossicular chain. We operated upon 4 malformations of type 0, 8 of type I, 10 of type II, 14 of type III and 10 of type IV. An air-bone gap within 20 dB was achieved in only 15 cases. As a matter of fact, in 9 cases the facial nerve covered the oval window; there were 4 pseudo-Mondini; ossiculoplasty was performed on a totally modified footplate in one case.