Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) for Bilateral Eagle Syndrome

ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec. 2019;81(1):36-40. doi: 10.1159/000493736. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Abstract

Eagle syndrome is a rare and poorly understood clinical condition caused by an elongated or disfigured styloid process. The possible managements of Eagle syndrome include conservative medical treatment or surgical intervention. The surgical removal of the elongated styloid process may be efficiently achieved either by an intraoral or a transcervical approach. An effective styloidectomy may be either total or partial, provided the bony residue's length is within the range of normality. Here, we report our experience with a bilateral robotic-assisted styloidectomy in a young female patient. Our experience showed that this procedure is a safe alternative to traditional surgical approaches, granting an excellent view and a safe manipulation by robotic arms, and, thereby, avoiding iatrogenic damage to neurovascular structures. Moreover, transoral robotic surgery could represent the gold standard for the treatment of bilateral Eagle syndrome cases allowing a quick and safe single-time surgery.

Keywords: 3D imaging; Eagle syndrome; Robotic surgery; Spiral computed tomography; Transoral surgery.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Ossification, Heterotopic / diagnostic imaging
  • Ossification, Heterotopic / surgery*
  • Robotic Surgical Procedures / methods*
  • Temporal Bone / abnormalities*
  • Temporal Bone / diagnostic imaging
  • Temporal Bone / surgery

Supplementary concepts

  • Eagle syndrome