Unusual origin and relations of the accessory meningeal artery: a case report / Origen inusual y relaciones de la arteria meníngea accesoria: reporte de un caso

SUMMARY: Accessory meningeal artery is a branch of the first part of the maxillary artery. It supplies the structures in the infratemporal fossa and the dura mater in the middle cranial fossa. Accessory meningeal artery arose from the middle meningeal artery, 25 mm below the base of the skull and entered the middle cranial fossa through the foramen ovale. The two roots of the auriculotemporal nerve looped around it. The knowledge of the variant origin and relations may be useful during the surgeries of the infratemporal fossa. It might also be useful to the radiologists.

RESUMEN: La arteria meníngea media es una rama accesoria que emerge al inicio de la arteria maxilar. Suministra la vascularización a nivel de la fosa infratemporal y la duramadre en la fosa craneal media. En este trabajo, surgió una arteria meníngea accesoria de la arteria meníngea media, a una 25 mm por debajo de la base del cráneo, accediendo en la fosa craneal media a través del foramen oval. Las dos raíces del nervio auriculotemporal la rodeaban. El conocimiento de esta variación y sus relaciones pueden ser útiles durante las cirugías de la fosa infratemporal, como así también puede ser útil para los radiólogos.

Unusual Course of the Accessory Meningeal Artery / 체질인류학회지

This case report describes a variation in the course of the accessory meningeal artery relative to the mandibular nerve in the infratemporal fossa. An accessory meningeal artery running superficially to the posterior division of mandibular nerve was found bilaterally in the cadaver of a 95-year-old male. It was observed by a topographic examination followed by a detailed dissection. The accessory meningeal artery arose from the middle meningeal artery. It then passed upward and coursed superficial to the posterior division of the mandibular nerve before its division into the lingual and inferior alveolar nerves. The accessory meningeal artery subsequently ran deep and rostral to the anterior and posterior divisions of the mandibular nerve, respectively, before entering the foramen ovale. The variation in the course of the accessory meningeal artery described herein should be helpful for surgeons in approaches to the foramen ovale region and infratemporal fossa.