Eagle’s Syndrome Managed Successfully by Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment

Abstract

Eagle's syndrome is a rare cause of craniofacial pain caused by impingement of adjacent neurovascular elements by an elongated styloid process or by a calcified stylohyoid ligament. There is a wide spectrum of clinical presentations, which encompasses craniofacial pain, oropharyngeal pain, otalgia, headache, and vertigo. Typically, the glossopharyngeal nerve gets entrapped, giving rise to characteristic orofacial pain. The diagnosis of Eagle's syndrome is confirmed radiologically, and the management includes pharmacotherapy and surgical removal of the styloid process. Moreover, minimally invasive interventions in the form of glossopharyngeal nerve block and radiofrequency treatment can also be effective in providing pain relief. We report a case of an elderly male who presented with features of glossopharyngeal neuralgia secondary to an elongated styloid process and was managed successfully with pulsed radiofrequency treatment of the glossopharyngeal nerve.

Truman W. Brophy: The emblematic innovating surgeon of cleft lip and palate.

“…The elongation of the process happens normally during ageing, especially for the right styloid process (4,25). Most patients are over 30 years old, usually during the 4th and 5th decade of age (3,6,16,17,23,26,27). A bilateral elongation of the two styloid processes is the most usual finding (3,6,21,22).…”

Estudo morfológico e morfométrico do alongamento do processo estiloide com calcificação do ligamento estilo-hioideo em crânio humano

“…O tratamento conservador para a dor na SE é o de primeira linha e costumeiramente precede a intervenção cirúrgica, principalmente quando o paciente a recusa 13 . As drogas preferenciais inicialmente, são os anticonvulsivantes como carbamazepina e gabapentinoides, podendo ser, em alguns casos, associadas a inibidores da recaptação de serotonina (ISRS), anti-inflamatórios não esteroidais ou, dependendo da intensidade álgica, a opioides 14 .…”

“…Entretanto, para pacientes com sintomas persistentes, comprometimento vascular e sequelas neurológicas, o tratamento mais eficaz é a estiloidectomia transcervical ou transoral, com resolução completa dos sintomas na maioria dos casos 13,14 . A segunda forma, principalmente através da abordagem extraoral, é mais segura, visto que a outra é caracterizada por baixa exposição cirúrgica, falta de controle sobre os principais vasos da região e possível contaminação 51 bacteriológica de espaços profundos 15 .…”

Pain Management with Ganglion Impar Block in Adenocarcinoma Recti

“…In this case report, the trans sacrococcygeal joint approach was used to locate the ganglion accurately by injecting contrast and viewing the vertical dispersion called inverted commas along the ganglion laterally 9 .…”