Eagle’s Syndrome, also known as Styloid Syndrome, is defined by the presence of an elongated, misshapen, or calcified stylohyoid ligament. It is characterized by pain localized to either side of the throat, odynophagia, and referred otalgia. Transoral removal of the stylohyoid ligament consists of transecting the stylohyoid ligament to release tension and result in improvement of pain.
DOI #: https://doi.org/10.17797/o3iz10qacz
o Ipsilateral tonsillectomy should be performed prior to surgery
o Tonsillar fossa mucosa is incised to reveal the superior constrictor muscles
o Superior constrictor muscles are incised to access the stylohyoid ligament
o Stylohyoid ligament is skeletonized with a Curved Allis and a periosteal elevator
o Surrounding parapharyngeal is retracted to prevent injury
o Kerrison rongeur is used to transect the styloid process superiorly
o Remaining in vivo portion is smoothed with rasp
o Superior constrictor muscle is reapproximated with absorbable suture
o Elongated (>30mm), misshapen, or calcified stylohyoid ligament with associated symptoms
o Mechanical trismus (<30mm)
o Coagulopathy
Tools necessary include Colorado bovie, curved Allis, periosteal elevator, Yankauer suction, Kerrison rongeur, rasp, and 3-0 Vicryl sutures.
o Panorex film can provide view of elongated stylohyoid ligament with or without calcification
o CT neck without contrast can be used for both confirmation of diagnosis and view of patient anatomy
o Tonsillar fossa
o Superior Constrictor Muscles
o Stylohyoid ligament
o Advantages of transoral resection compared to transcervical resection: no external scar, no risk to marginal mandibular nerve, lingual nerve, skull base structures
o Disadvantages of transoral resection compared to transcervical resection: increased recovery time, limited inferior extent of resection
o Injury to carotid artery
o Injury to glossopharyngeal nerve
o Injury to carotid artery
o Injury to glossopharyngeal nerve
o Emily M. Barrow, MD (Otolaryngology Resident)
1. Myers, E. 2009. Operative Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. Chapter 25, Transoral Removal of Elongated Styloid Process.
2. Colby CC, Del Gaudio JM. Stylohyoid complex syndrome: a new diagnostic classification. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2011;137:248�¢ï¿½ï¿½252.
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Patient was taken up for procedure under general anaesthesia. She also started having stridor after induction. Nasopharyngeal intubation with spontaneous breathing technique was used. Entropy leads were placed over forehead to monitor the depth of anaesthesia. Tube position was confirmed with endoscopic view and Benjamin lindohlm laryngoscope was suspended. As the patient was spontaneously breathing, the stridor became more prominent, with stable vitals and the procedure was continued. The vocal cord retractor was fixed and coblation wand was then used with 7:3 settings for ablation and coagulation respectively. The surgical limits were-anteriorly the junction between ant 2/3 and post 1/3 of the vocal cord, posteriorly just anterior to the vocal process of arytenoid to prevent cartilage exposure and post operative granulations. Superely till the ventricle and inferioly till the medial most surface of the subglottis. Laterally approx. 5 mm depth was defined to prevent injury to the superior laryngeal artery branch and further bleeding. Once the final airway was achieved , the topical lignocaine was used to prevent laryngeal spasm post extubation.
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So lets have a look on some tips & tricks for the safe procedure—–
Nasopharyngeal insufflation technique with entropy monitor will give adequate and safe surgical field
2. Appropriate exposure will help you to delineate the surgical margins
3. Topical anaesthesia before and after the procedure will prevent sudden laryngeal spasm
4. Firm holding of coblation device will help to prevent injury to surrounding structures like anterior 2/3 vocal cord, opposite side vocal cord, medial surface of vocal cord or aryteroid posteriorly
5. Do not ablate more laterally to prevent bleeding, if at all it happens, use patties or coagulation switch for hemostasis.
6. And at the end of the procedure ,use catheter suction to suck out blood clots or saline from the airway if any….
To Conclude-Coblation Assisted Cordectomy( CAC) can be performed safely with good outcomes in case of bilateral vocal cord paralysis using tubeless anesthesia technique without tracheostomy !
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Review Transoral Resection of Stylohyoid Ligament.