Length-adjustable ossicular prosthesis having in-situ elongation out of the head plate

An ossicular prosthesis (10;

• 20;
• 30;
• 40), which replaces or bridges at least one member or parts of a member of an ossicular chain, the ossicular prosthesis (10;
• 20;
• 30;
• 40) comprising:
• at one end, a first fastening element (11;
• 21;
• 31;
• 41) formed as a flat head plate configured for mechanical contact with a tympanic membrane and/or with a handle of malleus,
• at the other end, a second fastening element (12;
• 22;
• 32;
• 42) configured for mechanical connection to a member or parts of a member of the ossicular chain or to the inner ear, and
• a connecting element (13) that connects the two fastening elements (11, 12;
• 21, 22;
• 31, 32;
• 41, 42) to one another, in a sound-conducting manner, along a longitudinal axis (z), the connecting element (13) having rib elements (14;
• 24;
• 34;
• 44), which are configured to be spread outwards, to a greater or lesser extent, radially away from the longitudinal axis (z), at least sectionally, so as to shorten an axial length of the ossicular prosthesis (10;
• 20;
• 30;
• 40) to a greater or lesser extent,
• wherein
• the rib elements (14;
• 24;
• 34;
• 44) lead at the one end directly into coupling regions (15;
• 25;
• 35;
• 45) of the first fastening element (11;
• 21;
• 31;
• 41) within a head plate plane and are movably, but non-detachably, connected thereto,
• all the rib elements (14;
• 24;
• 34;
• 44) lead directly, at the other end, into a coupling element (16;
• 26;
• 36;
• 46) and are also movably, but non-detachably, connected thereto, the coupling element (16;
• 26;
• 36;
• 46) in turn being rigidly connected at the other end to the second fastening element (12;
• 22;
• 32;
• 42),
• the rib elements (14;
• 24;
• 34;
• 44) are designed in such a way that, in an in-situ state of the ossicular prosthesis (10;
• 20;
• 30;
• 40) inserted in a human middle ear, when a force is applied to the rib elements (14;
• 24;
• 34;
• 44) with a force component in parallel with the longitudinal axis (z) in a direction from the first fastening element (11;
• 21;
• 31;
• 41) to the second fastening element (12;
• 22;
• 32;
• 42) in each case sectionally assume, in situ, a position located radially further from the longitudinal axis (z), and therefore shorten, in situ, the axial functional length between the first fastening element (11;
• 21;
• 31;
• 41) and the second fastening element (12;
• 22;
• 32;
• 42), each of the rib elements (14;
• 24;
• 34;
• 44), with the introduction of a force having force components that are antiparallel with respect to the longitudinal axis (z), in the direction from the second fastening element (12;
• 22;
• 32;
• 42) to the first fastening element (11;
• 21;
• 31;
• 41) sectionally assuming, in situ, a position located radially closer to the longitudinal axis (z), and therefore increasing, in situ, the axial functional length between the first fastening element (11;
• 21;
• 31;
• 41) and the second fastening element (12;
• 22;
• 32;
• 42),
• and the rib elements (14, 24;
• 34;
• 44) retain, in situ, their adjusted radial position with respect to the longitudinal axis (z), when no force acts.