Giant cell arteritis involving the facial artery

Jaw claudication in giant cell (temporal) arteritis (GCA) is believed to be due to vasculitic obstruction or stenosis of the arteries supplying the muscles of mastication, notably the facial and internal maxillary arteries and their branches. However, histologic documentation of this is rarely available because GCA is usually diagnosed by temporal artery biopsies. We describe a patient with jaw claudication and other clinical features of GCA in whom a facial artery biopsy confirmed involvement by GCA.