Post-traumatic aneurysms of the superficial temporal artery.

Aneurysms of the superficial temporal artery usually occur after trauma to the area and present as a pulsatile mass. This lesion should be considered in a differential diagnosis of all forehead and temporal masses, to prevent undue hemorrhage during excision. The recommended treatment is surgical, and may be safely performed under local anesthesia, provided proximal and distal control of the superficial temporal artery is obtained. Although a rare lesion, aneurysm of the superficial temporal artery must be considered in the management of forehead masses.