Superficial Temporal Artery Pseudoaneurysm following Midface Thread-lift

Abstract

Summary Facial thread-lifting has been popular because of its ease and safety with short down time. However, many physicians perform the procedure in cosmetic clinics, which can result in several complications. This report describes the surgical treatment of iatrogenic superficial temporal artery pseudoaneurysm (STAP) following thread-lifting. A 27-year-old man developed a painless, pulsating soft mass in the pre-auricular region after undergoing a thread-lift in a private cosmetic clinic 3 months before being referred to the authors’ hospital. The mass was diagnosed as a STAP, using magnetic resonance imaging. The pseudoaneurysm was resected completely, and the superficial temporal artery was microsurgically reconstructed. Although there are some surgical procedures for treating STAP, such as surgical resection and embolization, the former is considered the first choice. Physicians should be trained before performing thread-lifting and must know the possibility of an iatrogenic STAP appearing after the procedure and the face and neck anatomy to prevent complications.

High-Resolution Ultrasound for Complications of Botulinum Toxin Use: A Case Series and Literature Review

“…On the other hand, when a mass, swelling, or persistent hematoma is documented, ultrasound helps clarify the diagnosis, as observed in case 2, where valuable information was obtained about alterations in the blood vessel wall seen as a pseudoaneurysmal dilation, as the cause of the findings described in this patient. This type of complication has also been described in patients who have undergone midface thread-lifts [17].…”

“…At this point, we wish to emphasize that pseudoaneurysms, although rare, can be induced by accidental injections of BTX into the wall of the blood vessel. Several reports have been described in the literature following facial thread-lift, primarily when working in the middle third of the face [17]. Therefore, special caution is recommended in the anatomical areas with greater vascularization [12,19].…”

AVF of superficial temporal vessels after thread brow lift, report of a case

“…Niimi et al. [8] reported a case of superficial temporal artery pseudoaneurysm after midface thread-lift as an uncommon event.…”