Eagle's syndrome: A report of 4 patients treated using a modified extraoral approach

Purpose: This study evaluated a slightly modified extraoral approach to rem oving the symptomatic elongated styloid process. A brief description of thi s surgical technique and its comparison to the intraoral approach is provid ed. Patients and Methods: Four patients in whom an extraoral approach was used to expose and remove the elongated calcified stylohyoid complex were evalua ted. Five sides were treated and reviewed individually. All patients were i nterviewed preoperatively and postoperatively, and their records were thoro ughly examined. Patients were objectively evaluated for pain, function, sen sory and motor nerve deficits, and aesthetics. Results: Follow-up time ranged from 6 to 39 months with an average of 21 mo nths. Improvement in the original symptoms was reported for 4 of the 5 oper ated sides. Three of 5 procedures resulted in more than an 80% reduction in pain and improvement in function. All patients had a satisfactory cosmetic result and no paresthesia. Conclusions: The advantages of the extraoral approach are reflected in this small retrospective study by the absence of perioperative complications an d the minimal blood loss, surgical morbidity, and hospital stay. (C) 2001 A merican Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.