Morphological prerequisites for the formation of stylohyoid syndrome: clinical observations

Abstract

The article presents the topographic, anatomical, and morphometric features of the styloid process, stylohyoid ligament, lesser horns of the hyoid bone, which are functionally combined into the stylohyoid complex. The topography of the styloid process of the temporal bone has several features. The distal part of it passes in the peripharyngeal space of the neck along the pharyngeal wall, where the neurovascular bundle of the neck is anatomically closely adjacent to the styloid process. The pointed end of the elongated and curved styloid process of the temporal bone can irritate the surrounding nerve, vascular and muscle structures. A set of clinical symptoms associated with lengthening or curvature of the styloid process of the temporal bone, complete or partial ossification of the stylohyoid ligament with the formation of articular joints is defined as stylohyoid syndrome or Eagle syndrome. This is the generally accepted name for a set of clinical symptoms associated with abnormalities in the size and position of the styloid process of the temporal bone. The basis of the pathogenesis of the stylohyoid syndrome is not only the elongation of the process, but also its pathological deviation in the medial-posterior direction, combined with thickening and curvature. Depending on which of the formations located in the immediate vicinity is exposed to the apex of the deviated process, two subspecies of the stylohyoid syndrome are distinguished: styloid-pharyngeal and styloid-carotid. We paid more attention to the stylo-pharyngeal syndrome.
Conclusion.
Despite high research technologies, stylohyoid syndrome remains little known to practitioners and an insufficiently studied disease, although anomalies of the stylohyoid complex occur in 20—30% of people.