Ultrasound-Guided Peristyloid Steroid Injection for Eagle Syndrome

The styloid process arising from the temporal bone is normally about 2.5 cm in length. For various reasons, including trauma and inflammation, it may become elongated. This elongated styloid process, when symptomatic with clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of local compression or neuropathic pain, is termed Eagle syndrome. Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is characterized by intermittent shooting sharp pain in the jaw, throat, tongue, and ear. Conservative management includes anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, and anti-inflammatory agents. Interventional and surgical options are pursued when these fail. Fluoroscopy is usually used to position the needle adjacent to the styloid process for injecting steroid and or local anesthetic. We describe a case of a 41-year-old woman with Eagle syndrome who failed conservative management and subsequently underwent an ultrasound-guided peristyloid steroid injection with short-duration pain relief.