| Stylomastoid artery | |
|---|---|
 The arteries of the face and scalp. | |
| Details | |
| Source | posterior auricular artery |
| Supplies | tympanic cavity, tympanic antrum, mastoid cells, semicircular canals |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | arteria stylomastoidea |
| TA98 | A12.2.05.038 |
| TA2 | 4406 |
| FMA | 49628 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
The stylomastoid artery enters the stylomastoid foramen and supplies the tympanic cavity, the tympanic antrum and mastoid cells, and the semicircular canals. It is a branch of the posterior auricular artery, and thus part of the external carotid arterial system.
In the young subject a branch from this vessel forms, with the anterior tympanic artery from the internal maxillary, a vascular circle, which surrounds the tympanic membrane, and from which delicate vessels ramify on that membrane.
It anastomoses with the superficial petrosal branch of the middle meningeal artery by a twig which enters the hiatus canalis facialis.
