Abstract
Elongated styloid process as cause of throat pain & otalgia is common, as found in classical Eagle’ Syndrome However, elongated styloid presenting with headache due to impingement an carotid artery and neurological structures like glossopharyngeal nerve, is very uncommon presentation. Here such a case with fifteen years of history of being treated as migraine, relieved by styloidectomy by Eagte’ technique and with a long symptom-free follow up of several years, is presented. For the clinician it is important to be aware of such clinical variants to successfully diagnose such head & neck pain cases, as resecting them surgically, resolves the symptoms completely.
Key words: Elongated styloid process (ESP), Eagle’s Syndrome, Headache, Carotid Artery impingement, Glossopharyngeal nerve impingement
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (566.5 KB).
References
- 1.Carmada AI, Deschamps C, Forest D. stylohyoid chain ossification. A discussion of Etiology. Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology. 1989;67:508–14. doi: 10.1016/0030-4220(89)90264-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 2.Eagle W.W. Elongated styloid process : report of two cases. Archives of otolaryngology. 1937;25:584–7. doi: 10.1001/archotol.1949.03760110046003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 3.Eagle W.W. Symptomatic Elongated styloid process of two cases of styloid process - carotid artery syndrome with operation. Archives of otolaryngology. 1949;49:490–503. doi: 10.1001/archotol.1949.03760110046003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 4.Eagle W.W. Elongated styloid process, symptoms and treatment. Archives of otolaryngology. 1958;67:584–584. doi: 10.1001/archotol.1958.00730010178007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 5.Koebke J. Compression of the external carotid artery. An anatomical finding to eagle’s syndrome. Laryngology, Rhinology, otology (stuttg). 1976;55(11):913–7. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 6.Krepsi Y., shugar J.A., Som P.M. Styloid syndrome - uncommon cause of pharyngeal & neck pain. American Jounral of Otolaryngology. 1981;2:358–358. doi: 10.1016/S0196-0709(81)80046-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 7.Massey EW, Massey J. Elongated styloid process (eagle's syndrome) causing hemicrania. Headache. 1979;19(6):339–44. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.1979.hed1906339.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 8.Monks FT. Bilateral ossification of the stylohyoid ligaments as a probable cause of facial pain. British Journal of oral surgery. 1978;15(3):276–7. doi: 10.1016/0007-117X(78)90013-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 9.Montalbetti L, Ferrandi D, Pergami P, Savoldi F. Elongated styloid process & eagle’s syndrome. Cephalgia. 1995;15(2):80–93. doi: 10.1046/j.1468-2982.1995.015002080.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 10.Paparella & ShuMrick ( 1980) : Text book of otolaryngology. Page 2275–77.
- 11.Ryan, Robert E. Sr. & Jr. (1978) : Headache and head pain. Page 250–251
- 12.Yetiser S., Gerek M, Ozkaptan Y. Elongated styloid process : diagnostic problems related to symptomatology. Cranio. 1997;15(3):236–241. doi: 10.1080/08869634.1997.11746017. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]