Sphenopalatine artery

Sphenopalatine artery
Plan of branches of internal maxillary artery. (Sphenopalatine visible in upper right.)
Details
Sourcemaxillary artery
Branchesposterior lateral nasal branches
posterior septal branches
Suppliesfrontal, maxillary, ethmoidal, and sphenoidal sinuses
Identifiers
Latinarteria sphenopalatina
TA98A12.2.05.088
TA24460
FMA49804
Anatomical terminology

The sphenopalatine artery (nasopalatine artery) is an artery of the head, commonly known as the artery of epistaxis.[1]

Course

The sphenopalatine artery is a branch of the maxillary artery which passes through the sphenopalatine foramen into the cavity of the nose, at the back part of the superior meatus. Here it gives off its posterior lateral nasal branches.

Crossing the under surface of the sphenoid, the sphenopalatine artery ends on the nasal septum as the posterior septal branches. Here it will anastomose with the branches of the greater palatine artery.

Clinical significance

The sphenopalatine artery is the artery responsible for the most serious, posterior nosebleeds (also known as epistaxis). It can be ligated surgically or blocked under image guidance with minimally invasive techniques by interventional radiologist using tiny microparticles to control such nosebleeds.

See also

References

Public domain This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 562 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

Notes

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