Postcraniotomy superficial temporal artery pseudoaneurysm in the setting of triple H therapy: A case report and literature review

BACKGROUND: Superficial temporal artery (STA) pseudoaneurysm after a craniotomy is very rare with only five cases reported in the literature, none manifesting in the setting of cerebral vasospasm treatment with triple H therapy. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 31-year-old male was admitted after a syncopal episode. Imaging documented a ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm. He was taken to the operating room for aneurysm clipping, but the procedure was aborted due to intraoperative aneurysm re-rupture, at which point the patient underwent emergent coil embolization of the aneurysm. The postoperative course was complicated by severe cerebral vasospasm requiring prolonged triple H therapy. On postoperative day 22, a growing left temporal mass with a bruit was noted. The suspected diagnosis of STA pseudoaneurysm was confirmed by femoral angiography, and it was treated with coils and Onyx embolization. CONCLUSION: We report the first case of a postcraniotomy STA pseudoaneurysm in the setting of induced hypertension for the treatment of cerebral vasospasm. Endovascular embolization is a viable option for the treatment of an STA pseudoaneurysm.