2022 Volume 115 Issue 4 Pages 347-352
We report a case of true superficial temporal artery aneurysm in the anterior ear. A 71-year-old woman visited a clinic with a 10-year history of a gradually enlarging mass in the anterior part of the right ear, and was referred to our hospital. She was found to have a 10×10 mm dome-shaped elastic-soft pulsatile mass in the anterior part of the right ear and was diagnosed as having a right superficial temporal artery aneurysm by doppler ultrasonography. CT angiography showed a mass that was contiguous with the superficial temporary artery. Under general anesthesia, we performed ligated the temporal artery and resected the aneurysm. Because the aneurysm had a three-layer structure of intima, media, and adventitia, we diagnosed it as a true right superficial temporal aneurysm. A true aneurysm is often associated with arteriosclerosis caused by hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes mellitus, and our patient had all of these diseases. There are reports of untreated superficial temporal artery rupture, reports of collaterals of intracranial arteries and ophthalmic arteries, and reports of aneurysms at other sites, including the intracranial area. Although a superficial temporal artery aneurysm in the anterior ear is rare, it is necessary to make a precise diagnose for appropriate and timely treatment.
