stylomastoid artery

{{Infobox artery

| Name = Stylomastoid artery

| Latin = arteria stylomastoidea

| Image = Gray508.png

| Caption = The arteries of the face and scalp.

| Image2 =

| Caption2 =

| BranchFrom = Posterior auricular artery

| BranchTo =

| Vein =

| Supplies = Tympanic cavity, tympanic antrum, mastoid cells, semicircular canals

}}

The stylomastoid artery enters the stylomastoid foramen and supplies the tympanic cavity, the tympanic antrum and mastoid cells, and the semicircular canals. It is a branch of the posterior auricular artery, and thus part of the external carotid arterial system.

In the young subject, a branch from this vessel forms, with the anterior tympanic artery from the internal maxillary, a vascular circle, which surrounds the tympanic membrane, and from which delicate vessels ramify on that membrane.

It anastomoses with the superficial petrosal branch of the middle meningeal artery by a twig which enters the hiatus canalis facialis.