What is the function of the styloid process?
The styloid process is a slender pointed piece of bone just below the ear. It projects down and forward from the inferior surface of the temporal bone, and serves as an anchor point for several muscles associated with the tongue and larynx.
What is the surgery for Eagle syndrome?
The mainstay treatment for Eagle syndrome is surgery to shorten the styloid process (styloidectomy). Traditionally, this surgery has been done using either an intraoral (through the mouth) or extraoral (through the neck) approach.
What happens if you break your styloid process?
Fracture of an elongated styloid process or ossified stylohyoid ligament may result in symptoms of neck swelling, pain in the throat, limitation of movement, hoarseness, dysphagia, or sensation of a foreign body (3, 4).
How is elongated styloid process treated?
The most satisfactory and effective treatment is surgical shortening of the styloid process through either an intraoral or external approach. The advantages of an intraoral approach are that it is simple, is less time-consuming, is possible under local anesthesia, and avoids a visible external scar.
What is the function of the mastoid process and styloid process?
The styloid process lies anterior and medial to the mastoid process, and in between them is the stylomastoid foramen. This foramen allows the muscular branch of the facial nerve to leave the skull and go onto innervate the muscles of facial expression.
What does the styloid process articulate with?
… end of the radius, the styloid process, may be felt on the outside of the wrist where it joins the hand. The inside surface of this process presents the U-shaped ulnar notch in which the ulna articulates.
What is the recovery time for Eagle syndrome surgery?
The average time to resolution of symptoms was 26.5 days. All surgically treated patients had symptom resolution.
What is the function of the styloid process of the ulna?
There’s a bony projection at the end of the ulna, near your hand, called the ulnar styloid process. It fits into the cartilage of your wrist joint and plays an important role in the strength and flexibility of your wrist and forearm.
Does everyone have styloid process?
According to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD), about 4 percent of the population has an unusually long styloid process. However, only between 4 and 10 percent of these people — around 1 in 62,000 people — have any symptoms.
What causes an elongated styloid process?
Some people develop a long styloid process after a throat injury or surgery. In others, this is merely an anatomical difference or a change related to age. An elongated styloid process may put pressure on the throat and compress nearby nerves or blood vessels, causing pain.
How is a bone rongeur used to resect styloid process?
A bone rongeur is used to resect the styloid process close to its origin at the skull base. Inspection of the oral cavity and pharynx (including nasopharynx and hypopharynx) is normal with no mucosal lesions. Palpation of the tonsillar fossa reveals a hard thin mass in the area of the tonsillar fossa and reproduces the patient’s symptoms.
Is the styloid process anterior to the stylomastoid?
The styloid process is anterior to the stylomastoid foramen. The stylopharyngeus, stylohyoid, and styloglossus muscles all take their origin from the styloid process of the temporal bone. The facial nerve is posterior and lateral to the styloid process.
What are the signs and symptoms of styloid elongation and ossification?
Some pain may occur on swallowing or protrusion of the tongue or on rotating the head, and some patients complain of a foreign body sensation in their throat. The etiology of styloid elongation and ossification of the stylohyoid ligament complex is unclear.
How is calcification of the stylohyoid ligament (styloid) treated?
A transcervical approach is preferred if there is complete calcification of the stylohyoid ligament. Intraoral visualization can be enhanced with endoscopy (nasal endoscope). Injury to the carotid artery and facial nerve can be avoided by maintaining the plane of dissection on the styloid process.