Corpus: Angular artery
Synonym: ophthalmic angle artery
1. Definition
The angular artery is a terminal vascular branch of the facial artery.
2. Course
The angular artery ascends — embedded in the fibers of the levator labii superioris muscle — to the medial corner of the eye. It is accompanied by the angular vein and anastomoses with the infraorbital artery and the dorsal nasal artery from the ophthalmic artery.
3. Function
The angular artery supplies part of the skin (dermis) of the orbital and infraorbital regions, the lacrimal sac, and the medial parts of the orbicularis oculi muscle.
4. Clinic
In the case of stenosis of the internal carotid artery, some of its supply areas can be perfused via anastomoses of the angular artery. This results in a change in the direction of flow.