Inferior tympanic artery
Encyclopedia
The inferior tympanic artery is a small branch of the ascending pharyngeal artery
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It is a small branch which passes through a minute foramen in the petrous portion of the temporal bone
, 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.
Ascending pharyngeal artery
The ascending pharyngeal artery, the smallest branch of the external carotid, is a long, slender vessel, deeply seated in the neck, beneath the other branches of the external carotid and under the Stylopharyngeus...
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It is a small branch which passes through a minute foramen in the petrous portion of the temporal bone
Petrous portion of the temporal bone
The petrous portion of the temporal bone or pyramid is pyramidal and is wedged in at the base of the skull between the sphenoid and occipital bones. Directed medially, forward, and a little upward, it presents for examination a base, an apex, three surfaces, and three angles, and contains, in its...
, in company with the tympanic branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve
Glossopharyngeal nerve
The glossopharyngeal nerve is the ninth of twelve pairs of cranial nerves . It exits the brainstem out from the sides of the upper medulla, just rostral to the vagus nerve...
, to supply the medial wall of the tympanic cavity
Tympanic cavity
The tympanic cavity is a small cavity surrounding the bones of the middle ear.It is formed from the tubotympanic recess, an expansion of the first pharyngeal pouch....
and anastomose with the other tympanic arteries.