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Anterior Tonsillar Fossa Approach to Elongated Styloid Process
Ehtaih Sham1, Thyagraj Jayaram Reddy2, P Suresh Menon1
1Department of Facio-Maxillary and Reconstructive Surgery, Vydehi Institute of Medical and Dental Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Aim:
To demonstrate the efficacy of a new novel anterior tonsillar fossa approach in management of elongated styloid process syndrome.
Material And Method:
We operated upon 20 patients with confirmed, symptomatic elongated styloid process. None of these patients gave a previous positive history of trauma or any other procedure relating to tonsillar area. All these patients had undergone treatment or were under treatment for neuralgia/TMJ dysfunction syndrome. Diagnosis was confirmed by clinical examination followed by radiological findings.
Results:
12 patients underwent bilateral styloidectomy (60%) and 8 patients, underwent unilateral styloidectomy (40%). The length of stolid process ranged from 34mm to 62mm (mean 44 mm). Post operative follow up period ranges from 6 months to 12 months.17 patients (85%) were asymptomatic & had complete remission of symptoms over a follow up period of 12 months. 2 patients had partial remission of symptoms & 1 patient was lost to follow-up.
Conclusion:
Our anterior tonsillar fossa approach to elongated styloid is safe & adequate in effective surgical management & more so with an additional advantage of not requiring tonsillectomy which is often performed in trans-pharyngeal technique.
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