A truncated temporal styloid process from the Jordanian Ottoman Period: Developmental variant or fracture?
Styloid process (SP) development and its role in an individual's lived experience plays a negligible role in paleopathological research, although a handful of possible Eagle's syndrome cases have been reported. Here, the development of the stylohyoid chain and the medical research of SP variants are reviewed to inform the differential diagnosis of a probable SP fracture in a young adult male associated with the Ottoman Period (13-19thC) in Jordan. The fracture surface of the right SP is smooth rather than irregular, the coloration is uniform with the surrounding cortical bone staining, and no new bone formation is visible. All features are consistent with a perimortem injury. An unossified stylohyal is a differential diagnosis, while the left elongated SP suggests a predisposition to intrinsic injury. The implications of SP fractures are considered.
['Judd|Margaret A|MA|']
D000328:Adult D035843:Biomedical Research D003937:Diagnosis, Differential D050723:Fractures, Bone D049690:History, Ancient D006801:Humans D007597:Jordan D008297:Male D009999:Ossification, Heterotopic D057214:Ottoman Empire D010164:Paleopathology D013701:Temporal Bone
Eagle’s syndrome Elongated styloid process Stroke Stylohyoid complex Styloid process fracture