Elastic Properties of the Annular Ligament of the Human Stapes--AFM Measurement.

Elastic properties of the human stapes annular ligament were determined in the physiological range of the ligament deflection using atomic force microscopy and temporal bone specimens. The annular ligament stiffness was determined based on the experimental load-deflection curves. The elastic modulus (Young's modulus) for a simplified geometry was calculated using the Kirchhoff-Love theory for thin plates. The results obtained in this study showed that the annular ligament is a linear elastic material up to deflections of about 100 nm, with a stiffness of about 120 N/m and a calculated elastic modulus of about 1.1 MPa. These parameters can be used in numerical and physical models of the middle and/or inner ear.