Patent ID: 7553328

Claim:
An ossicle prosthesis ( 10 ; 20 ), which replaces or spans at least one member of a human ossicle chain, in which the ossicle prosthesis ( 10 ; 20 ) includes a first securing element ( 11 ) on one end and a second securing element ( 12 ; 22 ) on its other end, the second securing element adapted for mechanical connection to a member of the ossicle chain, to the eardrum or to the inner ear, wherein between the two securing elements ( 11 , 12 ; 22 ) is a ball joint, which includes two struts ( 13 , 13 ′) that are solidly joined to the first securing element ( 11 ), and extend parallel or at an angle to one another enclosing a gaplike space in which a ball ( 14 ) is pivotably supported in two recesses ( 15 ) in the struts ( 13 , 13 ′), and which ball ( 14 ) is part of an elongated shaft ( 16 ) that connects the two securing elements ( 11 , 12 ; 22 ) to one another, wherein the elongated shaft ( 16 ) further includes a plurality of balls ( 14 , 14 ′, 14 ″) adjoining one another, of which one ball ( 14 ) is in the ball joint, and, is displaceable through the gaplike space between the two struts ( 13 , 13 ′) of the ball joint, in a direction perpendicular to the struts ( 13 , 13 ′) extending towards or away from the first securing element ( 11 ), through a perforation ( 17 ) in the first securing element ( 11 ), wherein each of the balls ( 14 , 14 ′, 14 ″) snaps in a snapped-in position between the recesses ( 15 ) of the struts ( 13 , 13 ′), so that a desired length of the shaft ( 16 ) modulus adjusts the spacing of the balls ( 14 , 14 ′, 14 ″) from one another, and the part of the shaft ( 16 ) protruding through and past the first securing element ( 11 ) can be cut to length; and wherein the gaplike space between the two struts ( 13 , 13 ′) of the ball joint can be made narrower for fixation of the shaft ( 16 ) after the desired length has been adjusted.