Traumatic aneurysms of the superficial temporal artery

Abstract

Six patients with aneurysm of the superficial temporal artery are reported from Africa. The presenting symptom was a pulsating swelling in the temporal region, and blunt trauma to the side of the head was the aetiological agent in every case. Treatment by surgical excision is advocated. It is suggested that aneurysms of the superficial temporal artery occur more frequently than reports in the literature suggest.

Pseudoaneurisma da artéria temporal superficial: relato de três casos

“…The anterior branch is literally crushed against this bony prominence during the trauma, leading to formation of the pseudoaneurysm. 8,10 Clinical presentation is normally benign, since rupture is rare. There are only three cases of rupture reported in the literature.…”

Pseudoaneurysms of the Superficial Temporal Artery: Treatment Options

“…In a review of 386 patients with traumatic pseudoaneurysms of the head and neck by Conor and coworkers, 2 85% involved the superficial temporal artery. Bailey and Kiryabwire 5 plotted the location of several such lesions. They usually tended to arise where the superficial temporal artery crosses the zygoma and is covered only by skin and subcutaneous tissue or in its distal branches above the temporal line where the vessels are squeezed between the scalp and skull.…”

“…7). 5 Direct blows by fists 6 or blunt objects cause many of these lesions, but sports‐related injuries including blows from squash balls, hockey pucks, and baseballs have all been reported. 2 There are numerous reports in the neurosurgical literature of pseudoaneurysms after craniotomy 7 and especially after extracranial‐intracranial revascularization procedures.…”

An Unusual Bump on the Head: Spontaneous Superficial Temporal Artery Aneurysm

“…Since its first description by Bartholin in 1740 [1], fewer than 200 cases of superficial aneurysms of the superficial temporal artery have been reported in the English literature [2]. Over ninety-five percent of these cases are post traumatic in nature and follow blunt or penetrating head trauma [3].…”