The relation of the maxillary artery and the origin of the middle meningeal artery in Thais.

A study of the relationship of the maxillary artery to the lateral pterygoid muscle was performed upon 306 sides of 153 Thai cadavers; 84 males and 69 females. Most arteries were found lateral to the lateral pterygoid muscle in 275 sides (90%), and the remainder medial to this muscle. Additionally, the origin of the middle meningeal artery was observed to originate proximally 64%, opposite 18%, and distally 8% to the origin of the inferior alveolar artery when the maxillary artery passed laterally to the lateral pterygoid muscle. On the other hand, it was found that this artery originates proximally 4%, opposite 1%, and distally 5% to the origin of the inferior alveolar artery when the maxillary artery passed medially to the lateral pterygoid muscle. The accessory meningeal artery was presented in 71%. The result of this study will be useful in surgery.