title: Stylohyoid Complex (Eagle) Syndrome Starting in a 9-Year-Old Boy.
abstract: BackgroundThere are only four previous pediatric reports of the glossopharyngeal neuralgic form of the stylohyoid complex syndrome. Stylohyoid complex has merely been described as cases of glossopharyngeal neuralgia in children.Case ReportA 12-year-old boy came to our hospital because of recurrent episodes of severe cranial pain (9/10) lasting for 5 to 15 minutes. Pain affected the right tonsillar fossa, ear, and mastoid region. Since the start at the age of 9 years, the frequency of painful episodes has progressively increased: when admitted to our clinics 3 years later, the child was having up to five episodes daily in spite of analgesic, antiepileptic, and antidepressant drugs; he had abandoned school and leisure. Between episodes, neurological examination detected only discomfort to pressure on the right tonsillar fossa. Three-dimensional computed tomography images of the skull base showed an elongated right styloid process and bilateral calcification of the stylohyoid ligament. After surgical excision of the right styloid process and of part of the stylohyoid ligament, the glossopharyngeal painful episodes ceased. The patient remains asymptomatic seven years later.ConclusionIn spite of its rarity in childhood, this debilitating but treatable syndrome should be kept in mind for the differential diagnosis of recurrent cranial pain in the pediatric population.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Neurology Unit, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Maite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gárriz-Luis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Irimia
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Alcalde
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Neurology Unit, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Narbona
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009999:Ossification, Heterotopic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000002:abnormalities*