Superficially Herniated Loop of Facial Artery: A Potential Trap for the Unsuspecting Practitioner

The anatomy of the facial artery is complex and prone to significant variations, rendering it susceptible to vascular injury secondary to injectable treatments. Despite the known variation in the course and branching pattern of this important arterial conduit, significant anomalies in the depth of the artery, including occurrences of vessel herniation, are not as well characterized. We describe an instance of a superficially herniated loop of facial artery presenting as a buccal mass erroneously targeted with an injectable suspension of triamcinolone.