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Maxillary Artery : Mnemonic

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maxillary artery
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Origin of Maxillary artery: Terminal branch of External Carotid Artery (ECA)

Derived from: 1st Arch

Divisions of Maxillary artery: 3 parts by lateral pterygoid

  1. 1st part (Mandibular part): winds around deep to neck of mandible
  2. 2nd part (Pterygoid part): travels between 2 heads of lateral pterygoid
  3. 3rd part (Pterygopalatine part): enters pterygopalatine fossa containing pterygopalatine galnglion
Henry Vandyke Carter, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Branches of Maxillary artery

Remember:

  1. Each of the 3 divisions gives off 5 branches.
  2. Mandibular artery, i.e. Inferior alveolar artery is a branch of maxillary artery
  3. 2nd part: Branches supply muscles of mastication and do not cross through foramina in bones (all branches from 1st and 3rd part do cross)

Branches from 1st part

Mnemonic: Mandibular part gives off branches to 5 “M“s and the branches can be remembered as “DAMIA“

  1. Meatus (External auditory meatus) – Deep auricular
  2. Membrane (tympanic membrane) – Anterior tympanic
  3. Meninges and mater (duramater) – Medial meningeal
  4. Mandible – Inferior alveolar
  5. Meckel’s cave – Accessory meningeal

Clinical significance: Middle meningeal artery (MMA) injury results in Extradural hematoma (EDH). Auriculotemporal nerve wraps around it.

Branches from the 2nd part

Mnemonic: They supply muscles of mastication which are also derivatives of the 1st arch.
  1. Posterior deep temporal artery: Temporalis
  2. Pterygoid artery: Lateral and medial pterygoids
  3. Masseteric artery: Masseter
  4. Buccinator artery: Buccinator
  5. Anterior deep temporal artery: Temporalis

Branches from the 3rd part

Mnemonic: Remember the 5 “P“s

  1. Posterior superior alveolar artery: Maxilla
  2. Pterygoid canal artery: Upper part of pharynx and tympanic cavity
  3. Palatine – Descending palatine artery: Gives off greater and lesser palatine artery and supplies hard and soft palate respectively
  4. Palatine – Sphenopalatine or Nasopalatine artery: Nasal cavity
  5. Pharyngeal artery: Pharynx

There’s one more branch from the 3rd part, i.e. Infraorbital artery which gives off Anterior and Middle Superior Alveolar Artery.

Clinical significance: Sphenopalatine artery is a common cause of posterior epistaxis and may need ESPAL (Endoscopic Sphenopalatine Artery Ligation).
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