Corpus: Facial artery

The facial artery is a highly tortuous branch of the external carotid artery.

The facial artery arises from the external carotid artery slightly above the origin of the lingual artery in the trigonum caroticum. It runs medially of the ascending mandibular branch obliquely cranially and rostrally, crossing under the digastric and stylohyoid muscles.

As it continues, it passes through a depression on the posterior surface of the submandibular gland and then swings upwards along the anteroinferior edge of the masseter muscle, leaving the body of the mandible behind. Once in the cheek, it runs transversely forwards in the buccal spatium towards the corner of the mouth and then continues upwards laterally to the nose. It ends as the angular artery at the medial corner of the eye.

3.1. Cervical branches

• Ascending palatine artery
• Tonsillary branches
• Glandular branches
• Submental artery
• Muscular branches

3.2. Facial branches

• Inferior labial artery
• Superior labial artery
• Lateral nasal artery
• Angular artery
• Muscular branches

In the course of a tonsillectomy, a lesion of the facial artery with severe haemorrhage can occur as a complication. Due to its highly tortuous course, the vessel comes very close to the tonsils and is therefore at risk of injury.