MAXILLARY ARTERY

• Features
  • Larger terminal branch of ECA
• course
  • Given off behind neck of mandible
• First / mandibular part
  • Runs horizontally forwards
  • First between neck of mandible and sphenomandibular ligament
  • Below auriculotemporal nerve
  • Along lower border of lateral pterygoid
• Second part
  • Upwards and forwards
  • Superficial to lower head of lateral pterygoid
• Third part
  • Passes between two heads of lateral pterygoid
  • Through pterygomaxillary fissure
  • Enter pterygopalatine fossa
• BRANCHES
  • Branches of first part
    • Deep auricular artery
      • Supplies external acoustic meatus , tympanic membrane and TMJ
    • Anterior tympanic branch
      • Supplies middle ear , medial surface of tympanic membrane
    • Middle meningeal artery
      • Lies between lateral pterygoid and spheno-mandibular ligament
        • Then between 2 roots of auriculotemporal nerve
        • Enters skull through foramen spinosum to reach middle cranial fossa
          • Divides in to a
            • large frontal branch which courses to pterion
            • Smaller parietal branch
    • Accessory meningeal artery
      • Enters cranial cavity
        • Through foramen ovale
          • Supplies Meninges and structures in infratemporal fossa
    • Inferior alveolar artery
      • Runs downwards and forwards medial to ramus of mandible
        • Reaches mandibular foramen
          • Before entering gives a
            • lingual branch to tongue
            • Mylohyoid branch that descends in mylohyoid groove
          • Passing through enters mandibular canal
            • In it runs downward and forwards
              • Mental branch passes through mental foramen
  • SECOND PART
    • mainly muscular branches
      • Masseteric
      • Deep temporal branches ( anterior and posterior )
        • Ascend on lateral aspect of skull deep to temporalis muscle
      • Pterygoid muscles
      • Buccal branch supplies skin of cheek
  • THIRD PART
    • posterior superior alveolar artery
      • Just before maxillary artery enters pterygomaxillary fissure
      • Descends on posterior surface of maxilla
      • Gives branches that enter canals in bone to supply molar and premolar teeth
    • Infraorbital artery
      • Arises just before pterygomaxillary fissure
      • Enters orbit through infraorbital fissure
      • Branches
        • Middle superior alveolar branch- premolar teeth
        • Anterior superior alveolar branch- apertures of maxilla to reach incisor and canine teeth
    • Greater palatine artery
      • Runs downward in greater palatine canal
      • Emerge on posterolateral part of hard palate
      • Through greater foramen
      • Runs forward near lateral margin of palate
      • Incisive canal
    • Pharyngeal branch
      • Runs backwards through canal
        • Inferior aspect of body of sphenoid bone
          • Palatovaginal / pharyngeal canal
      • Supplies part of nasopharynx , auditory tube and sphenoidal air sinus
    • Artery of pterygoid canal
      • Runs backwards
      • Supply pharynx , auditory tube and tympanic cavity
    • Sphenopalatine artery
      • Passes medialy through sphenopalatine foramen
      • Enters cavity of nose
      • Branches
        • Posterolateral nasal branches
          • Lateral wall of nose , paranasal sinus
        • Posteromedial branches
          • Nasal septum