Case Report: Arteriovenous Fistula of the Superficial Temporal Artery as a Complication of a Hair Transplant

ABSTRACT

Due to its long course in the scalp and its partial exposure, the superficial temporal artery (STA) is considered vulnerable to trauma. However, arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) of this artery in the scalp are considered a rare pathology, mostly associated with cranial trauma. An AVF is a vascular lesion in which a communication of arterial and venous components of the same region is created, manifesting in most patients by a characteristic pulsatile mass.

An analysis of the literature revealed 16 patients with complications of AVF following hair transplant (HT), in which the most common artery involved was the right superficial temporal artery in 50% of the cases. The only associated risk factor was a previous hair transplant, which was the cause of the complication. One-fourth of the patients presented symptoms two years after the hair transplant. The most frequently used treatment was embolization of the vessels, which has proven to be a fast, safe, and effective approach, and is therefore currently considered the gold-standard treatment.