TRAUMATIC PSEUDOANEURYSM OF THE SUPERFICIAL TEMPORAL ARTERY

This paper describes, by case histories and a literature review, the c ause, diagnosis and therapy of pseudoaneurysm of the superficial tempo ral artery. Two patients with a traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the superf icial temporal artery were examined by physical examination and histol ogy of the excised lesions. Blunt injury caused a histologically prove d pseudoaneurysm in two reported cases. A total of 12 additional repor ts of pseudoaneurysm of the superficial temporal artery were found in the literature. Pseudoaneurysm of the superficial temporal artery is a n uncommon complication of blunt head injury. Symptoms are limited and diagnosis can be made by noninvasive means. A high suspicion level fo r arterial injury and sufficient follow-up of patients is necessary fo r the detection of arterial injury.