Hi,
Has anyone had a styloidectomy, found relief for a few years only to have it re-calcify 4 years after the original surgery? I had my operation on my right side in 2021 and the end of 2025 I have the sore burning throat again. I went in for imaging and sure enough the same side has Re-calcified.
Thank you
@beachlady - I’m very sorry your styloid has regrown. We’ve had some members who’ve had styloid regrowth. This usually occurs when not enough styloid was removed the first time around though we’ve got at least a couple of members who had literal skull base styloid removal & the darn thing still grew back.
Please remind me who did your surgery. Since we don’t know exactly what causes styloid elongation so the cause can be removed along w/ the styloid, it may not have anything to do w/ the surgeon, his/her surgical technique, or how much styloid was removed. I only stated the bit about not enough styloid being removed because in most of our documented regrowth cases, that has been the issue.
https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/search?q=styloid%20regrowth
and this post which showed up on the forum as I was responding to you:
Dr Anthony Bunnell was my surgeon. I am in Clearwater, FL and don’t know whether to go back to him in Jacksonville or try another doctor. I was so shocked to see it in the scan today. I just couldn’t believe it.
In my initial surgery Dr. Bunnell said he went as far back to the skull base as he could without damaging anything back there. While conservative is probably best, having to recut into my neck again is not something I’m looking forward to.
Thank you for taking the time to respond. I really appreciate it so much!
@beachlady - We had another member who saw Dr. Bunnell for her initial styloidectomy & had unresolved pain post op. Dr. Bunnell refused to do a revision surgery so she went to Dr. Hackman for the revision surgery, & as far as I know, has been quite happy w/ the results.
Thank you! Where is Dr. Hackman located and what is his or her first name?
Thank you so much 
@Kiki67 had her revision surgery with Dr Hackman, so have a read of her story in the post @Isaiah_40_31 has linked!
Dr Hackman is in NC:
Dr. Trevor Hackman, UNC Ear, Nose and Throat Oncology Clinic – in the N.C. Cancer Hospital, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, (984) 974-6484
Here’s a link to the doctors list in case you want to look up any other doctors, although it’s quite hard to find doctors who do revision surgeries:
Doctor Lists – no discussion - Symptoms and Treatments / Doctor Information - Living with Eagle
To be fair to your first surgeon, it may well be that it would’ve been too risky to continue, everyone’s anatomy is slightly different, and sometimes the styloids grow tangled in between the cranial nerves, so his caution might well have been justified.
I hope that you’re able to get treatment again!
Thank you so much everyone!!
I love all of you for your dedication to helping all of us! 
I will keep you updated during my journey.
Thank you!
Yes! I had the imaging with contrast but nothing came up in the readings! I can feel them in my throat! I had surgery in 2020 Dr Covello shaved in down and everything I thought I was feeling something else but after figuring out some anatomy I know it’s what I’m feeling I never felt the ones that were removed due to the fact that they were attached to my hyoid and I had upper and lower jaw surgery you lose feeling in that area for at least a year so I never noticed at first just a lot of facial pain and I had randomly been losing my voice.
@Tam916 - Thank you for your post. I’m sorry you still have ES symptoms after your surgery.
When you said Dr. Covello shaved down your styloid(s), it doesn’t sound like he took much off as styloids that are made really short are actually cut off up near the skull base. Some doctors don’t do that but only take a bit off the tip(s) or only shorten the styloids to normal length (~2,54 cm/1 inch) which for most people w/ an ES diagnosis isn’t enough to make a difference in reducing or stopping symptoms.
Additionally, if you had bilateral styloid elongation & have only had one styloid shortened, your remaining symptoms could be coming from the styloid that is left. We’ve also learned over the years that it’s not just styloid length that can cause symptoms. Other physical features of even a normal length styloid cause symptoms i.e. thickness, curve &/or angle of growth, pointed, twisted, or misshapen it is, to name a few options.
Have you had a follow-up CT scan since your surgery in 2020 to see how much of your styloids is left?
Dr. Cognetti, one of the most experienced ES surgeons on our Doctors List is in PA. You might consider seeing him for an opinion.
•Dr David Cognetti, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia 215- 955- 6760 (Has done many successful surgeries on members). Only removes ligaments if calcified. Works with Dr Heller now to do C1 shaves
David M Cognetti MD | Jefferson Health Does do online or phone consults.
