Posterior ethmoidal artery

Artery: Posterior ethmoidal artery
The ophthalmic artery and its branches. (Anterior and posterior ethmoid labeled at left.)
Latin	a. ethmoidalis posterior
Gray's	subject #146 570
Supplies	posterior ethmoidal cells posterior ethmoidal air sinuses dura mater of the anterior cranial fossa upper part of the nasal mucosa
Source	ophthalmic artery
Branches	meningeal branch nasal branches
Vein	ethmoidal veins

The posterior ethmoidal artery is an artery of the head which supplies the nasal septum. It is smaller than the anterior ethmoidal artery.

Course

Once branching from the ophthalmic artery, it passes between the upper border of the medial rectus muscle and superior oblique muscle to enter the posterior ethmoidal canal. It exits into the nasal cavity to supply posterior ethmoidal cells and nasal septum; here it anastomoses with the sphenopalatine artery.

There is often a meningeal branch to the dura mater while it is still contained within the cranium.

Supplies

This artery supplies the posterior ethmoidal air sinuses, dura mater of the anterior cranial fossa, and the upper part of the nasal mucosa of the nasal septum.

External links

• Posterior+ethmoidal+artery at eMedicine Dictionary
• lesson9 at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (nasalseptumart)
• http://www.dartmouth.edu/~humananatomy/figures/chapter_45/45-6.HTM

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 As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.