During routine dissections carried out in the course of our medical gross anatomy
work, an unusual structure was found unilaterally on the left side of an adult
male cadaver. Upon investigation, this was determined to be a hugely dilated
transverse facial artery. Also noted was the complete absence of the ipsilateral
facial artery. To our knowledge, this is the first report of complete agenesis and
not simply diminution of the facial artery with compensatory enlargement of the
transverse facial artery
