A Scanning Electron Microscopic Study of the Normal Human Stapes

The structure of the normal human stapes was studied with the scanning electron microscope. Specimens were obtained 48 hours after death from adult human temporal bones free from obvious inflammatory disease. The specimens were fixed, dissected, critical-point dried and coated with gold. In this scanning electron microscopic study an attempt has been made to systematically demonstrate the average scanning electron microscopic features of various areas of the normal human stapes. An emphasis has been placed upon demonstrating as clearly as possible the details previously unclear or unrecognized and duplication of many excellent earlier light and electron microscopic studies has not been attempted. The typical appearance of the stapes head, neck, arch, crura and footplate has been presented. It is apparent that there exists a high degree of structural specialization particularly in the stapes arch and footplate area.