Fenestrated Maxillary Artery

Abstract

The external carotid artery divides terminally into the superficial temporal and maxillary arteries (MA), deep to the base of the neck of the mandible. Arterial fenestrations are commonly found in the vertebrobasilar and internal carotid systems but are rarely encountered, or reported, in the external carotid artery system. The archived computed tomography angiograms of a 70-year-old male patient were observed anatomically. Inferior to the posterior end of the lateral pterygoid muscle was found a fenestrated segment of the MA, oriented mediolaterally. The middle meningeal artery left the superior arm of that fenestration. The inferior arm of the fenestration gave off a temporoalveolar trunk, further divided into posterior deep temporal and inferior alveolar arteries. The MA fenestration and the temporoalveolar trunk are rare variations of the MA at the entrance in the infratemporal fossa. These make the MA prone to iatrogenic lesions during different surgical procedures addressed to this region.