place during implantation the cylinder inner counterbore 52 is from 1 0 mm to 2 0 mm in diameter and from 0 5 mm to 2 0 mm in depth for ossicular replacement or reconstruction the surgeon can adjust length in increments determined by the configuration of the shaft 16 particularly in the example discussed above the surgeon can adjust length in 0 5 mm increments defined by spacing between the reduced portions 36 by compressing the enlarged head 12 and smaller head 22 the implant is shortened by forcing the shaft 16 outwardly as illustrated in fig5 the flexible sleeve 14 expands as the enlarged portions 38 pass through the smaller portions 44 of the through opening 34 and contracted as the smaller portions 36 pass therethrough by adjusting the mechanical properties of the material of the sleeve 14 or changing the ratio of the enlarged portions 38 and reduced portions 36 of the shaft 16 the tightness of the slip lock may be adjusted the slip lock should be loose enough to allow easy length adjustment by the surgeon but tight enough to prevent slippage after implantation the near end 18 of the shaft that extends outwardly from the head 12 see fig5 can then be cut off by the surgeon prior to implantation although the sleeve 14 and shaft 16 are illustrated having alternating reduced and enlarged cross.