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Evaluation of postoperative pain after tonsil-sparing styloidectomy

  • Laryngology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Styloidectomy is the mainstream treatment for Eagle’s syndrome when conservative treatment fails. However, the clinical efficacy of tonsil-sparing styloidectomy remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate postoperative pain after tonsil-sparing styloidectomy in patients with Eagle’s syndrome.

Methods

This retrospective study enrolled 14 patients who underwent tonsil-sparing styloidectomy (TSS group) and 22 patients who underwent traditional tonsillect-styloidectomy (TTS group). Pain was evaluated using the 11-point numeric rating scale (NRS-11) at the following time points: on admission, 1 day after the operation, 3 days, postoperatively, 1 week postoperatively, 2 weeks, postoperatively, and 3 months, postoperatively.

Results

The postoperative course was uneventful in both groups. Pain with movement was significantly reduced 3 months, postoperatively (1.28 ± 1.1), compared with the preoperative baseline level (4.78 ± 0.9) (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the rate at which pain decreased between the TSS group (n = 9/14; 64.3%) and the TTS group (n = 17/22; 77.3%) (P = 0.396). One week postoperatively, resting pain in the TSS group (4.36 ± 0.7) was significantly lower than that in the TTS group (5.41 ± 0.8) (P = 0.001); pain with movement in the TSS group (5.00 ± 0.8) was significantly lower than that in the TTS group (5.86 ± 0.7) (P = 0.002). Two weeks postoperatively, resting pain in the TSS group (1.14 ± 0.4) was also significantly lower than that in the TTS group (1.73 ± 0.6) (P = 0.003).

Conclusions

Tonsil-sparing styloidectomy is a safe and effective modality for treating Eagle’s syndrome. Although there was no significant difference in surgical risk or long-term outcomes between tonsil-sparing styloidectomy and traditional tonsillect-styloidectomy, tonsil-sparing styloidectomy can alleviate perioperative pain.

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Funding

This study was funded by the Nature Science Foundation of Beijing (Grant no. 7192171).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1, Shuaifuyuan Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

    Yonghua Cai, Wei Gu & Jian Wang

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  1. Yonghua Cai
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  2. Wei Gu
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  3. Jian Wang
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Correspondence to Jian Wang.

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The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

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This retrospective case–control study was approved by the local Ethics Committee.

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This was retrospective study, thus no informed consent was needed.

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Cai, Y., Gu, W. & Wang, J. Evaluation of postoperative pain after tonsil-sparing styloidectomy. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 277, 2011–2015 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-05930-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-05930-y

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