Aneurysm of the superficial temporal artery (STA) is a relatively rare entity with only 193 reported cases in the literature. Usually the result of blunt facial trauma, this lesion is more appropriately termed a false aneurysm or pseudoaneurysm. In 1740, Bartholin described the first reported STA aneurysm in a 7-yearold boy after hc was struck with a stick.l In 1935, Winslow and Edward? documented 93 cases, of which 79 were secondary to trauma. The number of reports in the literature has declined since the 19th century because of the elimination of sword dueling and bloodletting. Modern causes include motor vehicle accidents, contact sport injuries, agricultural accidents, and high-velocity projectiles. Iatrogenic cases have also been reported.3 The diagnosis of STA pseudoaneurysm can usually be made by history and clinical examination.4 In patients who have sustained trauma to the preauricular or frontotemporal region, this lesion should be included in the differential diagnosis of any mass in the distribution of the temporal artery. There are several case reports of STA aneurysms in conjunction with panfacial fractures. Any surgeon treating patients with facial trauma should be aware of this unusual lesion. A case report of a traumatic pseudoaneurysm and review of the literature are presented.
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