Superficial temporal artery

At a glance

English

Superficial temporal artery

Latin (TA2)

Arteria temporalis superficialis

System

Artery

Region

Head

Side

Paired, left and right

About the superficial temporal artery

The superficial temporal artery is one of the two vessels into which the external carotid artery divides, the other being the maxillary artery. It is the smaller of the pair but, judging by its direction, looks like the external carotid carrying straight on upwards. It starts deep in the parotid gland, behind the mandibular neck.

From there it rises vertically, passes over the back root of the zygomatic arch on the temporal bone, and enters the scalp. As it crosses the zygomatic root it lies beneath auricularis anterior and a dense layer of fascia, and facial nerve branches to the temple and cheek cross it, with one or two veins. The auriculotemporal nerve runs just behind it. Its pulse can be felt here, just above the zygomatic arch, a little ahead of the tragus.

Within the parotid and just above it, the artery gives the transverse facial artery, branches to the parotid and the outer ear, a zygomatico-orbital branch and a middle temporal branch to temporalis. About five centimetres above the zygoma it ends by dividing in two. The frontal branch winds forwards and upwards to the forehead, supplying muscle, skin and pericranium and joining the supraorbital and supratrochlear arteries of the ophthalmic system; the facial nerve's frontal branch runs nearby, roughly along a line from just below the tragus to a point a little above the outer end of the eyebrow. The parietal branch, larger, curves upwards and backwards over the temporal fascia and meets its fellow from the other side and the occipital and posterior auricular arteries.

Giant-cell arteritis, an inflammation of medium and large arteries in older people, often involves this vessel. The artery may become thickened and tender, and a biopsy of a segment confirms the diagnosis, which matters because the same disease can block the vessels to the eye. Surgeons also use the artery for bypass grafts to the middle cerebral artery and as the pedicle of scalp and forehead flaps.

Course and supply

Arises from

The external carotid artery inside the parotid gland, behind the mandibular neck.

Ends in

Divides about five centimetres above the zygomatic arch into frontal and parietal branches.

Supplies

Supplies the scalp over the temple and forehead, temporalis, the parotid gland, the outer ear and part of the face through the transverse facial artery.