What is the Incus? (with pictures)
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What is the Incus?
The incus, or anvil, is a small bone in the middle ear.
Trauma to the middle ear may impair function of the incus.
An ear infection can impact the incus's ability to function.
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Malcolm Tatum
Edited By: Bronwyn Harris
Last Modified Date: 27 November 2016
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Also known as the , the incus is one of the small bones found in the . It works in conjunction with two other small bones, the
and the , to relay sound from the middle ear to the .
This tiny bone is only found in .
The incus is positioned between the malleus and the stapes.
In actual function, the bone serves as a connection that receives the sound waves captured by the malleus, then transmits that sound to the stapes.
Since the stapes is located at the oval window of the inner ear, the sound is then transmitted into the inner ear.
As long as these three bones are not damaged or there is no infection in the inner ear, they are capable of properly transmitting sound for the entire life span of an individual.
There are several conditions that can impact the incus's ability to function.
One has to do with an ear infection.
When the infection is based in the middle ear, the sound received by the malleus and transmitted to the incus is muffled.
Because the transmission is inferior, the sound that the bone transfers to the stapes is also of lower quality.
The end result is that the individual is unable to detect sounds at certain pitches or levels.
Usually, full function is restored once the middle ear infection is successfully treated.
A second issue that can impair the function of this bone is
to the middle ear that is severe enough to damage the bone itself.
Trauma of this type may occur as the result of an accident, such as an auto crash or a fall from a high place.
It is also possible to cause damage to these three bones in the middle ear during the course of warfare. Examples of this type of damage include trauma sustained as a result of shrapnel that comes in contact with the bone structure surrounding the ear, or even during hand to hand combat.
Essentially, any trauma that is severe enough to jar the incus out of position has the potential to partially or completely prevent the bone from functioning properly.
The name of this tiny but important bone is actually a Latin word that corresponds to the word anvil in English.
This designation is appropriate, since the shape of the incus is very similar to that of the anvil that was once commonly used in the creation of horseshoes and other forms of ironwork.
In fact, it is the shape of the bone that makes it ideal for the reception and transmission of sound waves on the journey to the inner ear.
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Conjecture CorporationEar Tubes: What to Expect
If your child gets frequent infections or fluid build-up in his middle , your doctor may recommend . Some adults might need them, too, but it’s not as common.
A doctor will have to do a brief surgery to put them in.
Once in place, the tubes can help you or a child in your care get relief from the
and loss of hearing from these infections.
How Do Ear Tubes Work?
They help improve air flow and balance pressure in the middle , the space right behind the eardrum. This allows fluid to drain out better.
If you’re child has trouble with balance or delays in learning because of hearing problems, those will likely improve in the weeks and months after the tubes are in place.
Your child can still get
with tubes, but usually not as many. The infections also won’t cause
and tend to go away on their own or with antibiotic eardrops.
What’s the Surgery Like?
The first step for younger children is to get medicine so they’ll
through the surgery. The main reason for this is to make sure your child doesn’t move during the procedure.
You’ll take your youngster to a hospital or outpatient surgery center, and doctors keep a close
on his , oxygen, and
to make sure everything’s going well.
Older children and adults can have the surgery while they’re awake. For them, it can be done in the doctor’s office.
The surgery itself takes about 15 minutes and has three steps. The doctor will:
Make a small opening in the eardrum
Drain fluid
Place the tube in the opening
Preparation
Your doctor will give you details on how to get ready. Children who need to be given something to
will have to fast, or go without eating, for a certain number of hours before the surgery. Your child won’t be able to eat anything and can only drink certain liquids.
Check with your doctor to make sure you know:
How long your child has to fast
What liquids are OK to drink
If your child can take any medicine beforehand
Your doctor also will want to know about:
Any medicine your child takes
Problems your child or anyone in your family has with
used for anesthesia (which make you unconscious so you won’t feel pain)
your child has
For adults getting ear tubes, your doctor may have similar questions.
How Can I Comfort My Child?
Children, like some adults, will have concerns about what’s happening. To help a little girl or boy in your care get ready for surgery, you may want to:
Ask questions so she can talk about her feelings and you can make sure she’s not confused about anything.
Be specific about how the surgery will help, such as “Your ear will feel so much better!”
Talk ahead of time about going to the hospital -- a good general rule is to talk 2 days ahead of time for a 2 year old, 3 days for a 3 year old, and so on.
Let him pick a toy or blanket to take to the hospital.
Remind her you’ll be there the whole time.
As you talk with children, it’s best to avoid certain phrases.
If you say “put you to ,” that may remind them of a pet that’s been put down. Instead, you could talk about how a special doctor has medicine to help them sleep really well.
The words “cut” or “make a hole” may make a child think of pain. Instead, you can say “make a small opening.”
Children who have been given anesthesia take some time to fully wake up.
They may be groggy, fussy, or a little queasy within the first 24 hours, but after that, they should be back to normal. You can usually take them home a few hours after the surgery.
Your child can go home right away if he wasn’t given any anesthesia. The same is true for adults who get tubes.
Your doctor will talk to you about next steps. If everything goes as expected, this might mean a follow-up in 2 to 4 weeks, a hearing test, or eardrops to limit fluid coming from the ears.
If you see yellow, brown, or bloody fluid from the ear for more than a week after surgery, tell your doctor. You’ll also want to check with her if your loved one has , hearing problems, or seems to have trouble with balance.
When Do the Tubes Come Out?
There are two main types of tubes:
Short-term tubes go in for 6 to 18 months and usually fall out on their own.
Long-term tubes fall out on their own or could be taken out by a doctor.
It’s rare, but sometimes tubes come out early. If that happens and fluid returns, your doctor may need to do the surgery again. Also, if they stay in too long, your doctor may have to remove them.
Once the tubes are out, the eardrum usually closes up on its own. If it doesn’t, your doctor may do a procedure to fix it.
American Academy of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery: “Ear Tubes.”
Mayo Clinic: “Ear tubes,” “Ear infection (middle ear).”
Unity Point Health: “Frequently Asked Questions About Ear Tubes.”
National Health Service: “Can I eat or drink before an operation?”
St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital: “Preparing Your Child for Surgery.”
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