Giant Cell Arteritis That Presented with Buccal Skin Ulceration along the Facial Artery

Intern Med. 2023 May 15;62(10):1541-1545. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.0395-22. Epub 2022 Oct 5.

Abstract

A 68-year-old man presented with right buccal ulceration along the facial artery, temporal pain, lagophthalmos, diplopia, and tongue deviation to the right. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed bilateral temporal artery and right maxillary artery wall thickening, and a diagnosis of giant cell arteritis (GCA) was made according to the American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria. Treatment with corticosteroids ameliorated his symptoms. This is the first report of GCA with buccal skin ulceration along a facial artery. Because a delayed diagnosis can lead to irreversible damage, it is essential to notice rare symptoms, such as skin ulceration and multiple cranial neuropathy-like symptoms.

Keywords: buccal skin ulceration; facial artery; giant cell arteritis (GCA); maxillary artery; trismus.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Arteries
  • Giant Cell Arteritis* / diagnosis
  • Giant Cell Arteritis* / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Skin Ulcer* / etiology
  • Temporal Arteries / diagnostic imaging
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed