Corpus: Middle meningeal artery

The middle meningeal artery is a branch of the maxillary artery. It supplies a large part of the dura mater and the skull bones from the inside.

The middle meningeal artery ascends between the sphenomandibular ligament and the lateral pterygoid muscle, closely associated with the auriculotemporal nerve, towards the foramen spinosum of the sphenoid bone. The artery passes through this foramen into the cranial cavity. It then follows a groove in the greater wing of the sphenoid bone and soon divides into two branches: an anterior branch and a posterior branch.

2.1. Anterior Branch

The larger anterior branch, also known as the frontal branch, crosses the greater wing of the sphenoid bone and reaches a small bony canal in the parietal bone. It then divides into numerous smaller branches that run between the dura mater and the inner surface of the skull bones.

2.2. Posterior Branch

The smaller posterior branch, or parietal branch, curves back to the temporal bone and crosses it towards the parietal bone. It splits into smaller branches that supply the posterior part of the dura mater and the skull.

The terminal branches of the middle meningeal artery form numerous anastomoses with the branches of the same name on the opposite side, the anterior meningeal artery (anterior ethmoidal artery), and the posterior meningeal artery.

2.3. Other Branches

• Superficial petrosal branch
• Superior tympanic artery
• Orbital branches
• Temporal branches
• Anastomotic branch of the middle meningeal artery with the lacrimal artery

Rupture of the middle meningeal artery leads to epidural haematoma and is usually due to craniocerebral trauma. Haemorrhages from meningeal arteries such as the middle meningeal artery lead to detachment of the outer leaf of the dura mater from the periosteum. This leads to haemorrhage into the epidural space, which is not normally present.