Microsurgical Transcervical Styloidectomy for Eagle Syndrome: Illustrative Case Report With Intraoperative Documentation

BACKGROUND: Although transcervical styloidectomy is an established treatment for Eagle syndrome, the narrow operative corridor can make deep exposure challenging, particularly in patients at higher risk of complications. We report two cases in which neurosurgical microsurgical techniques provided wider and clearer deep visualization than conventional methods. METHODS: Two patients underwent transcervical styloidectomy using microsurgical techniques commonly employed in neurosurgery: one with Eagle syndrome-related internal carotid artery dissection on antiplatelet therapy, and the other with glossopharyngeal neuralgia and a short neck requiring improved deep exposure. RESULTS: The use of microsurgical techniques provided a wider operative corridor to the deep surgical field than the conventional approach, enabled reliable hemostasis and atraumatic dissection. Both patients achieved satisfactory clinical improvement without postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Styloidectomy using microsurgical technique can provide wider operative exposure than conventional techniques, and its use should be considered particularly in patients at higher risk of complications.