title: Unusual sinus of the styloid process.
abstract: The case of a 50-year-old man with an unusual sinus of the styloid process is presented. This anomaly caused recurrent otorrhea and repeated neck inflammation. The sinus was identified in the upper part of the styloid process and was resected completely as definitive treatment. Since the styloid process is formed by mesenchymal tissue of the second branchial arch, lack of chondrification and ossification was presumed to be the cause of the sinus found in the patient. In case of direct communication between the styloid process cavity and the middle ear space the term "styloid process recess" is suggested. This recess can act as a possible source for recurrent middle ear infections and neck inflammations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Fulda Hospital, Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schick
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prescher
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brors
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Draf
mesh_terms: D001934:Branchial Region / Q000002:abnormalities; D002558:Cerebrospinal Fluid Otorrhea / Q000209:etiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000209:etiology; D012008:Recurrence; D013577:Syndrome; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed