Incidence of the Type and Calcification Patterns in Patients with Elongated Styloid Process

Abstract

We investigated the incidence of elongated styloid process (Eagle's syndrome) using panoramic radiographs taken of 860 patients referred to our clinic. Any styloid process identified was classified according to its length, type and the pattern of calcification. Fifty-nine elongated styloid processes were identified in 32 patients (3.7%), most being bilateral; 24 patients were female and eight were male (female/male ratio: 3:1). The mean age of these patients was 43 ± 14 years (range: 18 -78 years). Type I (elongated) was the most frequent type on both sides (42/59); and the most frequent patterns of calcification were partially calcified on the left side (18/59) and completely calcified on the right side (16/59). Only two patients were symptomatic. A corrected differential diagnosis is important to distinguish elongated styloid process from other pathologies with partially overlapping symptoms. We would recommend that clinicians consider the possibility of Eagle's syndrome when both the clinical and radiographic evidence support this diagnosis.

Prevalence of Styloid Process Elongation in An Elderly Turkish Population

“…Regarding gender, no statistically significant difference was observed between genders in the unilateral or bilateral elongation of the SP. This was in agreement with the previous studies [11,15,16].…”

A Digital Panoramic Radiograph Study of Length of Styloid Process in Nepalese Population

“…Also left sided elongated styloid processes were significantly much longer than the right sided elongated styloid processes. Concerning gender no statistically significant variation was observed in the unilateral, bilateral or overall elongation of the styloid process which is in agreement with other studies [4,23].…”

“…When more than 3 cm it is called an elongated styloid process causing dull pain in the ears, throat or mastoid region, difficulty in swallowing, foreign body sensation, symptoms of temperomandibular dysfunction like limited or asymmetric jaw movements or even carotid artery compression syndrome with rare cases of strokes [3][4][5][6][7][8]. Long styloid process was first described in 1652 by…”

Stylohyoid Syndrome and its Surgical Treatment – A Case Report and Review of the Literature

“…Treatment of this quite rare clinical entity is mainly surgical by excision of the elongated styloid process with or without the calcifi ed stylohyoid ligament and/or elongated hyoid bone via an extra-oral or intra-oral approach [8,24]. Some authors advocated the intra-oral approach for cases with styloid bony process elongation; and the extra-oral approach for ossifi ed stylohyoid ligament or elongated hyoid bone cornu [5].…”