Publication:

Tonsillostyloidectomy for Eagle’s syndrome: a study of 20 cases

Background Eagle’s syndrome is a pain syndrome which occurs due to elongated and misdirected styloid process. It is commoner than generally thought.

Methods 20 cases of styalgia were diagnosed and prospectively studied at two hospitals. The characteristic symptoms were chronic throat pain and foreign body sensation in throat. Diagnosis was made with clinical symptoms, physical examination in form of intraoral palpation of styloid and radiological correlation. All patients underwent Tonsillostyloidectomy for affected sites under General anaesthesia. The patients were followed up for 12 weeks post-operatively and relief of symptoms was noted.

Results Chronic throat pain was the commonest symptom. Most cases were associated with chronic tonsillitis or Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD). 19 (95%) patients were symptom free by 4 weeks postoperatively.

Conclusions In an established case of Styalgia with intraoral palpable styloid tip, tonsillostyloidectomy by intra-oral approach gives good results. Also, LPRD may be a possible aetiology of the disease. Incidentally, it was found that position of head over neck should be intraoperatively adjusted in order to suit easy approach to the styloid depending on antero-posterior angulation of styloid.