• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.62-65
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• 2011

Eagle's syndrome occurs when an elongated styloid process or calcified stylohyoid ligament causes recurrent throat pain or foreign body sensation, dysphagia. It is supposed that this symptoms and signs are due to the compression of the styloid process on some neural and vascular structures. More uncommonly, symptoms such as dysphagia, tinnitus, and otalgia may occur in patients with this syndrome. It may also cause stroke due to the compression of carotid arteries. The compression depends on the size, shape, and orientation of the ossified styloid process Besides, degenerative or inflammatory changes in the tendinous portion of the styloid ligament insertion or rheumatic styloiditis may also cause this syndrome. Diagnosis can usually be made on physical examination by digital palpation of the styloid process in the tonsiller fossa. Three-dimensional computed tomography can utilized for supporting diagnosis. The treatment of Eagle's syndrome is primarily surgical. The styloid process can be shortened through an intraoral and extraoral approach. We report a 62-years-old man with the symptomatology of Eagle's syndrome and literature reviews.