Stylohyoid ligament

Last revised by Craig Hacking on 13 May 2020

The stylohyoid ligament forms part of the styloid apparatus. The origin is at the styloid process of the temporal bone and it inserts into lesser horn of the hyoid bone.

The stylohyoid ligament provides part of the origin for the middle pharyngeal constrictor muscle and styloglossus muscle. It develops from the second branchial arch (see branchial apparatus) 2,4.

Gross anatomy

Relations

Variant anatomy

In ~5% of the population, the stylohyoid ligament may be calcified. It is usually asymptomatic but a small portion of the population may have symptoms such as dysphagia (see: Eagle syndrome) 3

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