Caroticotympanic arteries explained

Caroticotympanic arteries
Latin:	arteriae caroticotympanicae, ramus caroticotympanicus
Branchfrom:	Petrous portion of the internal carotid artery
Precursor:	Aortic arch 2
Supplies:	Tympanic cavity

The caroticotympanic artery (tympanic branch) is a small, sometimes doubled artery which arises from (the petrous portion of) the internal carotid artery. It leaves the carotid canal through a foramen to reach the tympanic cavity.^[1] It contributes arterial supply to the osseous part of the pharyngotympanic tube (Eustachian tube).

Anatomy

Anastomoses

It forms anastomoses with the anterior tympanic branch of the maxillary artery, and the stylomastoid artery.

Variation

Because the caroticotympanic artery is more often absent than present, some controversy exists as to whether these are should be classified as an anatomical variation.^[2] Nevertheless, its relevance to internal carotid artery pathologies supports its continued classification as a non-variation anatomical structure.^{[3] [4]} Additionally, the origin of the caroticotympanic artery as a vestige of the embryonic hyoid artery provides a developmental reason for its continued classification as a canonical branch.^{[5] [6]}

See also

• Caroticotympanic nerves

Notes and References

1. Book: Standring, Susan . Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice . 2020 . 978-0-7020-7707-4 . 42th . New York . 1201341621.
2. Andreo . Jesus Carlos . Caldas Navarro . João Adolfo . Toledo Filho . João Lopes . de Araújo . José Carlos . 2000 . Caroticotympanic Artery: Anatomically a Normal Branch or a Variation of the Internal Carotid Artery? . Cells Tissues Organs . en . 166 . 3 . 319–322 . 10.1159/000016745 . 10765027 . 5779830 . 1422-6405.
3. Quisling . Ronald G. . Rhoton . Albert L. . April 1979 . Intrapetrous Carotid Artery Branches: Radioanatomic Analysis . Radiology . en . 131 . 1 . 133–136 . 10.1148/131.1.133 . 424573 . 0033-8419.
4. Thiers . Fabio A. . Sakai . Osamu . Poe . Dennis S. . Curtin . Hugh D. . 2000-09-01 . Persistent Stapedial Artery: CT Findings . American Journal of Neuroradiology . en . 21 . 8 . 1551–1554 . 0195-6108 . 11003295. 7974054 .
5. Liu . James K. . Gottfried . Oren N. . Amini . Amin . Couldwell . William T. . November 2004 . Aneurysms of the petrous internal carotid artery: anatomy, origins, and treatment . Neurosurgical Focus . 17 . 5 . E13 . 10.3171/foc.2004.17.5.13 . 15633978 . 1092-0684. free .
6. Kathuria . Sudhir . Gregg . Lydia . Chen . James . Gandhi . Dheeraj . June 2011 . Normal Cerebral Arterial Development and Variations . Seminars in Ultrasound, CT and MRI . en . 32 . 3 . 242–251 . 10.1053/j.sult.2011.02.002. 21596279 .