A spontaneous superficial temporal artery pseudoaneurysm possibly related to atherosclerosis: Case report and review of literature

• Published in: Surgical neurology international 2016-09, Vol.7 (10), p.247-250
• Main Authors: Takemoto, Yushin, Hasegawa, Shu, Nagamine, Michiko, Kasamo, Daiki, Matsumoto, Jun, Miura, Masaki, Kuratsu, Junichi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Surgical Neurology International: Cerebrovascular
• ISSN: 2152-7806; 2229-5097; 2152-7806
• DOI: 10.4103/2152-7806.179586

Background: Spontaneous superficial temporal artery (STA) pseudoaneurysms are very rare; only four cases, including ours, have been reported to date. Therefore, the cause of them has not been studied. Case Description: A 57-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a pulsatile mass in the left preauricular region. Her medical history included hypertension, dyslipidemia, and angina pectoris. She denied a history of head injury or minor head trauma. Three-dimensional computed tomography angiography showed a well-enhanced saccular aneurysm on the main trunk of the STA. To prevent rupture it was removed surgically. The histological diagnosis was pseudoaneurysm with atherosclerosis. By the 2 nd postoperative day, she had completely recovered and was discharged home. There has been no relapse. Conclusions: As all four documented patients were at high risk for atherosclerosis, we posit that a causal factor was weakening of the arterial wall due to atherosclerosis and chronic pressure on the STA from anatomical structures. Here, we present histological evidence to support this hypothesis.