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Minimally Invasive Skull Base Approach Styloidectomy for Treatment of Eagle Syndrome.
Victoria Fonseca1, Makayla R Matthews2, Trevor Hackman3
1School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, victoria_fonseca@med.unc.edu.
ORL; Journal for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Its Related Specialties
|February 27, 2026
Summary
A new minimally invasive skull base surgery for Eagle syndrome offers comparable symptom relief to traditional methods. This approach provides shorter operative times and reduced tissue dissection for patients with styloid process issues.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Skull Base Surgery
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Eagle syndrome involves styloid process elongation or stylohyoid ligament calcification, causing diverse symptoms.
- Diagnosis relies on clinical presentation and radiographic evidence of styloid elongation.
- Current surgical treatments include intraoral and transcervical approaches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a novel minimally invasive skull base approach for Eagle syndrome.
- To assess the efficacy and safety of this new surgical technique.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 90 patients with Eagle syndrome undergoing the minimally invasive skull base approach.
- Data collected included demographics, operative time, complications, narcotic use, and symptom improvement.
- Analysis of electronic medical records from November 2020 to June 2024.
Main Results:
- The study included predominantly female (73.3%) and White (90%) patients.
- Mean operative time for unilateral styloid removal was 53 minutes.
- 86.7% of patients reported significant symptom improvement within 3 months, with temporary numbness being the most common complication (42.2%).
Conclusions:
- The minimally invasive skull base approach is an effective alternative for Eagle syndrome treatment.
- It achieves symptom improvement rates similar to traditional methods with reduced operative time and tissue dissection.
- This technique presents an acceptable safety profile.
