Inferior tympanic artery
The inferior tympanic artery is a small branch of the ascending pharyngeal artery.
| Inferior tympanic artery | |
|---|---|
 Superficial dissection of the right side of the neck, showing the carotid and subclavian arteries | |
| Details | |
| Precursor | aortic arch 2 |
| Source | Ascending pharyngeal artery |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | Arteria tympanica inferior |
| TA98 | A12.2.05.013 |
| TA2 | 4381 |
| FMA | 49506 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
It is a small branch which passes through a minute foramen in the petrous portion of the temporal bone which is called tympanic canaliculus or inferior tympanic canaliculus, in company with the tympanic branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve, to supply the medial wall of the tympanic cavity and anastomose with the other tympanic arteries.
Clinical Significance
In the case of a missing or underdeveloped cervical ICA, the Inferior tympanic artery can provide collateral ICA circulation by reversing flow of the caroticotympanic artery (embryologic hyoid artery). This can result in pulsatile tinnitus. The resulting Aberrant Carotid artery can mimic neoplasm on CT.
References
This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 557 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)