Surgical approach tl the styloyoid process in Eagle's Syndrome.

Elongation or mineralization of the stylohyoid process causes Eagle’s syndrome, which is characterized by facial and pharyngeal pain, odynophagia, and dysphagia.1 A case of ossification of the stylohyoid ligament was reported by Marchetti in 1652. In 1872, Weinlechner described the first case of painful elongation of the styloid process treated surgically. Its etiology is still debated. In 1937, Eagle first described a case of pain associated to elongation of the styloid process. Eagle primarily described 2 syndromes: 1) Classic styloid syndrome after tonsillectomy; 2) Stylocarotid syndrome not related to tonsillectomy. Treatment of choice, which is surgical excision of the styloid complex, may be performed with an intraoral or extraoral approach. There are also alternative nonsurgical treatments such as transpharyngeal infiltration of lidocaine or steroids and manual transpharyngeal fracture of the styloid process. The aim of this report is to propose a new surgical technique for the treatment of Eagle’s syndrome.