Facial Artery Pseudoaneurysms: Insights Into A Rare Occurrence � A Systematic Review Of 39 Cases
Year: 2026
Type: conference-paper
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: PURPOSE: Facial artery pseudoaneurysm is a rare yet serious condition often developing after trauma or medical procedures.1 If undetected or untreated, it poses risks of rupture, massive bleeding, and damage to nearby structures, potentially leading to life-threatening complications.2 Delays between initial symptoms and definitive treatment are common, necessitating a consensus on the most effective interventions, such as surgical ligation or endovascular embolization, to optimize patient outcomes and prevent serious complications. METHODS: This systematic review will follow PRISMA guidelines, utilizing comprehensive searches of MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, and ClinicalTrials.gov for studies published up to 2024, supplemented by manual citation searches. Studies were screened independently to ensure eligibility. Data was extracted into an Excel spreadsheet, including patient demographics, diagnostic approaches, management, and outcomes. Quality was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Quality Assessment tool. Findings were synthesized qualitatively. RESULTS: During the study selection process, 452 studies were imported, with 353 screened, culminating in 39 patient case reports of facial artery pseudoaneurysms. The patients had a mean age of 28.4 years, with a majority being male (82%). Iatrogenic causes accounted for 51%, while traumatic causes represented 34%, with an average presentation time of 116 days. The most common aneurysm location was the submandibular region (33%). Treatment was evenly distributed between open surgery (43%) and endovascular approaches (48%), with a recurrence rate of 7.7%. Symptoms frequently observed included swelling (64%), tenderness (48%), and bleeding (40%). Patients were primarily treated by oral (39.5%) and craniofacial (25.5%) surgeons, and post-treatment outcomes were largely favorable, with high reported patient satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Facial artery pseudoaneurysms are rare, usually resulting from trauma or iatrogenic injury, and typically present within 3-17 days. Most are effectively treated with surgery or endovascular repair, with low recurrence and complication rates. Prompt diagnosis and management are crucial to preventing serious outcomes. *Source: https://ps-rc.org/meeting/Program/2026/EP64.cgi*
Language: English
Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7160535953