Multidetector-row computed tomography demonstration of Eagle syndrome

Nisar A Wani,Tufela Shafi,Majid Jehangir,Parveen Lone

doi:10.4103/1012-5574.168363

Abstract

Eagle syndrome is a symptom complex of recurrent throat pain, dysphagia, foreign body sensation, otalgia or orofacial pain resulting from elongated styloid process or mineralization of stylohyoid ligament. Elongated styloid process may stretch the cranial nerves in its vicinity, or compress the perivascular sympathetic fibers around the carotid arteries. Multidetector-row computed tomography helps in the easy and accurate diagnosis of Eagle syndrome by means of enhanced demonstration of the elongated styloid processes. We present the case of Eagle syndrome in a 35-year-old woman with a long history of facial pain. Multidetector-row computed tomography with three-dimensional reconstruction was performed, which demonstrated bilateral elongated styloid processes.

Highlights

Eagle syndrome is a rare clinical condition caused by elongation of the styloid process or ossification or calcification of the stylohyoid ligament
The classical form is seen after pharyngeal trauma or tonsillectomy, and patients complain of dull and persistent pharyngeal pain, centered in the ipsilateral tonsillar fossa exacerbated by rotation of the head
Various etiologic theories have been proposed to explain the development of Eagle syndrome.The first one stresses the congenital elongation of the styloid process due to the persistence of the cartilaginous precursor

Summary

Introduction

Eagle syndrome is a rare clinical condition caused by elongation of the styloid process or ossification or calcification of the stylohyoid ligament. The classical form is seen after pharyngeal trauma or tonsillectomy, and patients complain of dull and persistent pharyngeal pain, centered in the ipsilateral tonsillar fossa exacerbated by rotation of the head. The second form of the syndrome is called stylocarotid syndrome, which results from the compression of the internal or external carotid artery and their perivascular sympathetic fibers by an elongated styloid process.

Results

Conclusion