Prevalence of Elongated Styloid Process and Eagle Syndrome in East Eagean Population

Eagle syndrome (ES) which is also known as styloid-carotid artery syndrome, is a rare condition with an elongation of SP or calcification of stylohyoid ligament and clinical symptoms such as neck and cervicofacial pain (1-7). It was first described by an otorhinolaryngologist, whose name was Eagle, in 1937 (8). Elongated process occurs 4% of the population and patients are usually asymptomatic and only 4-5% of them present symptoms with mostly over 30 years of age (9). The elongated SP may be seen as unior bilateral and patients may have symptoms related to compression and irritation of cranial nerves (5, 7, 9 and 10) such as dysphagia, tinnitus, otalgia, facial pain while turning the head, foreign body sensation, recurrent orafacial and throat pain, pain on extending tongue and discomfort during chewing (9). It rarely may cause stroke due to the compression of carotid arteries (10). This syndrome is seen most commonly between 30 and 50 years of age. It is more common in women (1:2) according to Bagga et al. (11) and (1:3) according to Alpoz et al. (9). The complaints such as throat pain, unilateral neck pain and tinnitus are classic symptoms of ES. If ES is present, one can palpate the tip of the SP in the back of the throat on the exam, which is normally non-palpable (12). Symptoms may be worsened on ABSTRACT