The anvil-shaped middle bone of the three ossicles in the middle ear, transmitting sound between the malleus and the stapes.
Structure
Despite being one of the smallest bones in the body, the incus has a clear anvil shape, with a body and two processes that articulate with the malleus and stapes.
Function
Together with the other ossicles, the incus mechanically amplifies the small pressure changes of an arriving sound wave so they can move fluid inside the cochlea.
Clinical note
Erosion of the long process of the incus from chronic middle-ear disease is a common cause of conductive hearing loss.
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