Complete recovery after an intraoral approach for Eagle syndrome

J Craniofac Surg. 2010 Jan;21(1):275-6. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0b013e3181c5a444.

Abstract

Eagle syndrome is considered a rare disease. It is an aggregation of symptoms that includes neck, throat, and hemifacial pain; sensation of foreign body in the throat; dysphagia; otalgia; and change in voice as a direct result of an elongated styloid process or calcified stylohyoid ligament.The clinical diagnosis is generally difficult and must be confirmed by radiologic imaging. Our patient was a 37-year-old woman who had a 3 years' history of dysphagia and foreign body sensation. Computed tomographic scan showed a long left styloid process and calcification in the upper part of the stylohyoid ligament suggestive of Eagle syndrome. The patient underwent surgical removal of the elongated styloid process through an intraoral approach. The patient became symptom-free at 9 months after the surgery.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Deglutition Disorders / diagnostic imaging
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Facial Pain / diagnostic imaging
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Ligaments / diagnostic imaging
  • Ligaments / pathology
  • Ligaments / surgery*
  • Neck Pain / diagnostic imaging
  • Oral Surgical Procedures / methods*
  • Ossification, Heterotopic / diagnostic imaging
  • Ossification, Heterotopic / pathology
  • Ossification, Heterotopic / surgery*
  • Syndrome
  • Temporal Bone / diagnostic imaging
  • Temporal Bone / pathology
  • Temporal Bone / surgery*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed