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.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Carmada, AI, Deschamps, C, Forest, D. (1989): stylohyoid chain ossification. A discussion of Etiology. Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology, 67:508–14
Eagle W.W. (1937): Elongated styloid process : report of two cases. Archives of otolaryngology. 25:584–7.
Eagle W.W. (1949): Symptomatic Elongated styloid process of two cases of styloid process - carotid artery syndrome with operation. Archives of otolaryngology. 49:490–503.
Eagle W.W. (1958): Elongated styloid process, symptoms and treatment. Archives of otolaryngology. 67:584.
Koebke, J. (1976): Compression of the external carotid artery. An anatomical finding to eagle’s syndrome. Laryngology, Rhinology, otology (stuttg). 55 (11): 913–7.
Krepsi, Y., shugar, J.A. and Som, P.M. (1981): Styloid syndrome - uncommon cause of pharyngeal & neck pain. American Jounral of Otolaryngology. 2:358.
Massey, EW, Massey J. (1979): Elongated styloid process (eagle's syndrome) causing hemicrania. Headache 19 (6) : 339–44.
Monks, FT (1978): Bilateral ossification of the stylohyoid ligaments as a probable cause of facial pain. British Journal of oral surgery 15 (3) : 276–7.
Montalbetti, L, Ferrandi, D, Pergami, P Savoldi, F (1995): Elongated styloid process & eagle’s syndrome. Cephalgia 15 (2): 80–93.
Paparella & ShuMrick ( 1980) : Text book of otolaryngology. Page 2275–77.
Ryan, Robert E. Sr. & Jr. (1978) : Headache and head pain. Page 250–251
Yetiser, S., Gerek, M, Ozkaptan, Y (1997): Elongated styloid process : diagnostic problems related to symptomatology. Cranio 15:3, 236–241.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chourdia, V. Elongated styloid process (Eagle’s syndrome) & severe headache. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 54, 238–241 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02993114
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02993114