Objective: To present a case of a patient with visible stapedius contraction on vocalization and to discuss the related literature.
Patients: A 51 year-old woman with a Type III myringostapediopexy due to chronic suppurative otitis media and an incidental finding of voice-induced movement of the stapes head.
Interventions: Otoendoscopy, pure tone and impedance audiometry, and modified stapedius reflex decay.
Main outcome measure: Stapes head movement on otoendoscopy.
Results: Stapes head movement was seen endoscopically on vocalization but not on tympanometric measures.
Conclusion: Visible stapedius contraction with vocalization is an uncommon phenomenon. Our understanding of the nonauditory pathways to stapedius is limited and requires further research.