Content area
Full Text
Dysphagia (2009) 24:357361 DOI 10.1007/s00455-008-9206-8
CASE REPORT
Pseudodysphagia Due to Omohyoid Muscle Syndrome
Lina Kim Heekyu Kwon Sung-Bom Pyun
Published online: 26 February 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2008
Abstract Omohyoid muscle syndrome (OMS) is a rare clinical condition that has the pathognomonic feature of the appearance of a lateral neck mass when swallowing due to dysfunction of the omohyoid muscle (OH). We present two cases of typical OMS with electrophysiologic and dynamic imaging studies. The study results indicate that OMS is caused mainly by the loosening of the fascial attachment to the intermediate tendon of the OH. The characteristic clinical features and pathomechanism underlying OMS are also discussed.
Keywords Deglutition Omohyoid muscle syndrome
Dysphagia Ultrasonography Swallowing
electromyography Deglutition disorders
Omohyoid muscle syndrome (OMS), or omohyoid sling syndrome, is a rare clinical condition characterized by a protruding lateral neck mass caused by the omohyoid (OH) muscle when swallowing. The incidence and prevalence of OMS are unknown, but it is interesting to note that all of the cases of OMS reported in the literature have been from eastern Asia [14]. In general, patients with OMS complain of neck discomfort, dysphagia-like symptoms, and
cosmetic problems, and they fear that their symptoms may be caused by a serious medical condition such as malignancy. However, the clinical entity and pathogenic mechanisms of OMS remain poorly understood, and the majority of routine imaging and electrodiagnostic studies performed during the resting state are not helpful in the diagnosis, management, and exploration of the patho-mechanism underlying OMS. We encountered two cases of OMS and performed electrophysiologic studies and dynamic imaging techniques in order to elucidate the pathomechanism of OMS.
Case Reports
Case 1
A 30-year-old woman visited the Department of Otolaryngology because of the appearance of a left lateral neck mass when swallowing, which she began to notice two days prior. She had given birth to her rst child several months beforehand and had no previous history of medical illness or trauma. She was referred to the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) to have the abnormal neck mass and dysphagia evaluated. She denied any change in voice or local tenderness in the neck. The mass was not palpable at rest, but the X-shaped mass was prominent when swallowing (Fig. 1a,...