Hyoid bone fractures

Surgeons who manage patients with craniofacial trauma should be comfortable with evaluating and treating fractures throughout the head and neck. This includes the hyoid bone, which may cause significant airway concerns if fractured. The authors report the case of a patient who sustained a fracture of the hyoid bone. The hospital records from a busy, level I trauma center were reviewed to document similar injuries over a seven-year period. To supplement the scant literature concerning hyoid fractures, a review of the anatomy, diagnosis, and management of such injuries is provided.