| Artery: Artery of the pterygoid canal | |
|---|---|
| Plan of branches of internal maxillary artery. (Art. of pterygoid canal visible at upper right.) | |
| Latin | arteria canalis pterygoidei |
| Gray's | subject #146 568 |
| Source | Maxillary artery |
The artery of the pterygoid canal (Vidian artery) is an artery that can arise from the internal carotid (ICA) or external carotid (ECA), or serve as an anastomosis between these arteries.[1]
It more commonly arises from the ECA.[2]
The eponym derived from Vidus Vidius.[3]
Contents |
The artery passes backward along the pterygoid canal with the corresponding nerve. It is distributed to the upper part of the pharynx and to the auditory tube, sending into the tympanic cavity a small branch which anastomoses with the other tympanic arteries.
It can end in the oropharynx.[4]
The artery is a small, inconstant branch which passes into the pterygoid canal and anastomoses with a branch of the maxillary artery.
This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.