The anatomical basis of the symptoms of an elongated styloid process

Abstract

The styloid process is a bony process of the temporal bone of cranium. The stylohyoid ligament that attaches to the apex of the process may also be seen ossified in various radiological images. We can come across some variations about the styloid process including solitary, duplicated, incomplete ossified, the absence of an ossified process (unilateral or bilateral) and ossified stylohyoid ligament in literature and clinical practice. The symptoms that bring the patients with the elongated styloid process to medical centres are mostly related to some neurovascular structures situated around this process. Therefore understanding the anatomy of styloid process and around itself better is important to shorten the diagnosis time of the clinician about the elongated styloid process.