ABSTRACT
Altmann's classification of congenital external and middle ear malformations is widely accepted and should be able to accomodate every case with such a condition in one of three groups: minor malformations (group I), moderate malformations (group II) and severe malformations (group III). Indeed most cases described in the literature up to now fit in one of these groups. we have recently operated on a case of congenital middle ear malformation which does not fit into any of Altmann's categories. A search of the literature disclosed no similar case reported before. In this article we describe the clinical, audiological and surgical findings of this unusual case and comment on how these findings might relate to our body of knowledge about congenital ear malformations