Incidental Finding of an Elongated Styloid Process during Tonsillectomy Procedure

Loay Al-Ekri,Abdulkarim Alsaei

doi:10.4236/ijohns.2015.43040

Loay Al-Ekri, Abdulkarim Alsaei

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4236/ijohns.2015.43040

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Abstract

Patients with recurrent throat pain, dysphagia, or facial pain symptoms might have Eagle’s syndrome due to abnormal length of the styloid process or calcification of stylohyoid ligament complex. In adults, the styloid process is approximately 2.5 cm long. The etiology of this disease is not well understood, and usually asymptomatic. In some cases, the styloid tip, which is located between the external and internal carotid arteries, compresses the perivascular sympathetic fibers, resulting in a persistent pain. The disease can be diagnosed by physical examination through digital palpation of the styloid process in the tonsillar fossa or by radiographic workup that includes anterior-posterior and lateral skull films. We report a 33-year-old woman with an incidental finding of an elongated styloid process during a routine tonsillectomy procedure.

Highlights

Styloid process (Processus styloideus) of the temporal bone is a cylindrical bony projection attached to base of the skull and situated immediately anterior to the stylomastoid foramen
The length of the styloid process is usually 2 - 3 cm. When it is more than 3 cm, it is called as an elongated styloid process
Eagle syndrome is characterized by recurrent pain in the head and neck region due to an elongated styloid process or calcified stylohyoid ligament

Summary

Introduction

Styloid process (Processus styloideus) of the temporal bone is a cylindrical bony projection attached to base of the skull and situated immediately anterior to the stylomastoid foramen. It extends downwards, forwards and slightly medially. Alsaei complex along with the lesser horns of hyoid bone and stylohyoid ligament. When it is more than 3 cm, it is called as an elongated styloid process This elongation was first described in 1937 by Eagle who defined “stylalgia” as pain associated with abnormal length of the styloid process and later called the Eagle’s syndrome [3]. Elongation of the process may cause various clinical symptoms as neck and cervico-facial pain. Some reports have described that it is the abnormal anterior angulation rather than elongation that is responsible for the symptoms [6]

Case Report

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Discussion