Ascending pharyngeal artery
Last revised by Henry Knipe on 10 Nov 2023
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Jones J, Knipe H, Fortin F, et al. Ascending pharyngeal artery. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 09 Dec 2023) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-5896
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rID:
5896
Article created:
26 Mar 2009, Jeremy Jones ◉
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At the time the article was created Jeremy Jones had no recorded disclosures.
View Jeremy Jones's current disclosuresLast revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Henry Knipe had the following disclosures:
- Integral Diagnostics, Shareholder (ongoing)
- Micro-X Ltd, Shareholder (ongoing)
These were assessed during peer review and were determined to not be relevant to the changes that were made.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosuresRevisions:
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Synonyms:
- Ascending pharyngeal arteries
The ascending pharyngeal artery, the smallest branch of the external carotid artery, is a long, slender vessel, deeply seated in the neck, beneath the other branches of the external carotid and under the stylopharyngeus.
On this page:
Summary
- origin: a branch of the external carotid artery
- course: vertically with internal carotid artery (ICA) and to the side of the pharynx
- supply: base of skull; anastomosis with anterior and posterior cerebral circulations
- termination: base of skull
Gross anatomy
Origin
It arises from the back part of the external carotid, near the carotid bifurcation and ascends vertically between the internal carotid and the side of the pharynx, to the under surface of the base of the skull, lying on the longus capitis.
Variant anatomy
Very rarely, the ascending pharyngeal artery can arise directly from the internal carotid artery 4,5 or from a common trunk with the occipital artery 5.
References
- 1. Susan Standring. Gray's Anatomy. (2008) ISBN: 9780443066849 - Google Books
- 2. Michael Schünke, Erik Schulte, Udo Schumacher. Thieme Atlas of Anatomy. (2006) ISBN: 9783131421111 - Google Books
- 3. Michael Schünke. Thieme Atlas of Anatomy. (2007) ISBN: 9783131421210 - Google Books
- 4. Cortés-Franco S, Muñoz A, Franco T, Ruiz T. Anomalous Ascending Pharyngeal Artery Arising from the Internal Carotid Artery: Report of Three Cases. Ann Vasc Surg. 2013;27(2):240.e1-4. doi:10.1016/j.avsg.2012.10.003 - Pubmed
- 5. Renan Uflacker. Atlas of Vascular Anatomy. (2007) ISBN: 9780781760812 - Google Books
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Dura mater
- Rectus capitis lateralis muscle
- Pharyngeal muscles
- Eustachian tube
- Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma
- Styloglossus muscle
- Nasopharynx
- Inferior tympanic canaliculus
- Caroticotympanic artery
- Jugular bulb
- Oropharynx
- Hypoglossal canal
- Pharynx
- Palatine tonsil
- Occipital artery
- Carotid triangle
- Stylopharyngeus muscle
- Dural arteriovenous fistula
- Superior cervical ganglion
- Middle pharyngeal constrictor muscle
Related articles: Anatomy: Head and neck
- skeleton of the head and neck
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cranial vault
- scalp (mnemonic)
- fontanelle
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sutures
- calvarial
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- frontozygomatic suture
- frontomaxillary suture
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facial bones
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facial muscles
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suboccipital muscles
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deep spaces of the neck
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arterial supply
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common carotid artery
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common carotid artery
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arterial supply
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cranial nerves
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- optic nerve (CN II)
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trigeminal nerve (CN V) (mnemonic)
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- ophthalmic division
- maxillary division
- mandibular division
- abducens nerve (CN VI)
- facial nerve (CN VII)
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vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)
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