Tonsillectomy sparing transoral robot assisted styloidectomy

Eagle Syndrome can present with a variety of symptoms and be caused by an elongated styloid process or calcified stylohyoid ligament. Patients failing medical management of this disorder may be treated with surgical excision of the styloid process. In the literature, transoral and transcervical approach have both been described. Although transoral approaches typically begin with a tonsillectomy, tonsil-sparing approaches have also been utilized. With the advent of robotic surgery, the potential for a tonsillectomy sparing approach has become a feasible alternative, preventing the pain and morbidity associated with adult tonsillectomy while continuing to provide superior exposure and instrumentation. We report three successful cases of patients treated with tonsillectomy sparing transoral robot assisted styloidectomy. This represents the first application of this technique in the literature and suggests the potential for a paradigm shift in the surgical management of this disease.