Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Practice Test 2026 – Complete Exam Prep

The bone located in the middle ear is the stapes. The stapes, also known as the stirrup bone because of its shape, is one of the three small bones in the middle ear collectively referred to as the ossicles. These bones play a critical role in the auditory system by transmitting sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The stapes connects to the oval window of the cochlea and is essential for efficient sound conduction.

While the incus and malleus are also present in the middle ear and contribute to the hearing process, the stapes is distinctively known for its position and function as the final bone in the chain of auditory ossicles. The cochlea, on the other hand, is not a bone but rather a spiral-shaped organ in the inner ear responsible for converting sound vibrations into neural signals, thus it is a separate structure from the ossicles in the middle ear.