Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39966194›Full record

ArticleAnatomical science international2026

Absent stapedius muscle and its tendon concomitant with otosclerosis: a case report on embryology, imaging, and treatment.

Marta Mękarska, Tomasz Wojciechowski, Kazimierz Niemczyk, Robert Bartoszewicz

Abstract readCase Reports
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Anatomical science international, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Marta MękarskaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The Medical University of Warsaw, 1a Banacha St., 02097, Warsaw, Poland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-4328-9755
Tomasz WojciechowskiDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The Medical University of Warsaw, 1a Banacha St., 02097, Warsaw, Poland. tomasz.wojciechowski@wum.edu.pl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3639-4422
Kazimierz NiemczykDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The Medical University of Warsaw, 1a Banacha St., 02097, Warsaw, Poland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3013-6403
Robert BartoszewiczDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The Medical University of Warsaw, 1a Banacha St., 02097, Warsaw, Poland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7758-4740

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This study aimed to discuss the clinical implications associated with the absence of the stapedius muscle and concomitant otosclerosis. The causes of mixed hearing loss are presented based on its embryonic development, audiological tests, and high-resolution computed tomography (CT) imaging. This case describes a 35-year-old female patient diagnosed due to bilateral conductive hearing loss. The patient complained of a significant deterioration of hearing and speech understanding lasting for several months. Preoperative audiometric work-up revealed air-bone gap with the presence of Carhart's notch characteristic for otosclerosis. In CT scans otospongiotic focus was confirmed and the absence of stapedius muscle, its tendon, and pyramidal eminence was discovered. The patient underwent stapedotomy with good hearing result after healing. Understanding the stapedius muscle's development process is essential to comprehend the reason for its failure - the absence of the stapedius muscle results in exposure to acoustic trauma. Patients may experience hypersensitivity to sound, although it was not discovered in the described patient. High-resolution CT is a handy tool for analyzing congenital malformations of the middle ear. The absence of the stapedius muscle may also be indicated by other anatomical variations of the middle ear detected with high-resolution computed tomography images. The absence of the stapedius muscle may coexist with otosclerosis. Detailed in-depth analysis of high-resolution computed tomography images is the only tool to assess for stapes muscle defects without surgical intervention.

Indexed as

Hearing Loss, ConductiveOtosclerosisStapediusTendonsAdultFemaleHumansStapes SurgeryTomography, X-Ray ComputedAnatomical variationsComputed tomographyHearing lossStapedius muscleStapedotomyTympanoplasty

Identifiers

PMID39966194

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.