Styloid process before Watt Weems Eagle. An Italian story.

Abstract

Purpose: The article provides an intriguing overview with tangible historical references, accompanied by photographic material, delving into the historical context of Eagle syndrome.. It ambitiously aims to shed light on the origins of the surgeon's reflections regarding the anatomy of the styloid process. Indeed, ever since the first original article by Watt Weems Eagle, these reflections have been attributed to Pietro Marchetti (Padua, 1589-1673), an Italian surgeon, anatomist, and physician. However, it appears they should be attributed to his son, Domenico De Marchetti (Padua, 1626 - 1688).

Methods: The original book "ANATOMIA-cui responsiones ad Riolanum anatomicum Parisiensem in ipsius animaduersionibus contra Veslingium additae sunt", (Padua-ed. 1654, first edition in 1652),written by Domenico De Marchetti was examined.The Latin text was analyzed adopting a philologico-clinical approach and related to contemporary medical and anatomical knowledge [18,19].

Results: The study highlights Marchetti's meticulous analysis of the hyoid bone and its associated structures, revealing the multifaceted nature of the styloid process. Noteworthy is Marchetti's observation regarding the styloid process's connection with the hyoid bone's horns during cadaver dissections, hinting at the calcification of the stylohyoid ligament, a key factor in Eagle syndrome. Marchetti's insights during cadaver dissection are evocative both regarding the hypothesis of stylohyoid ligament calcification and concerning the concept of styloid process growth throughout a person's life.

Conclusions: Marchetti's observations provide the first evidence of the continuous evolution of the styloid process throughout life and represent a valuable contribution to understanding the etiology of Eagle's Syndrome.