Facial Artery

Facial artery
- features
  - arises in carotid triangle from ECA
    - above the tip of greater cornu of hyoid bone
  - Then passes through submandibular region
  - enters face
- Course
  - CERVICAL COURSE
    - tortuous course
      - allows free movements during swallowing
    - runs upwards on superior constrictor of pharynx
      - deep to posterior belly of digastric
      - with stylohyoid
        
        to ramus of mandible
    - grooves posterior border of submandibular gland
      - s bend with two loops
        
        winds over submandibular gland then to
        
        over the ramus of mandible
  - FACIAL COURSE
    - enters face by swindling around base of mandible
      - pierces deep cervical fascia
        
        at the anteroinferior angle of masseter muscle
        
        palpated here called as “anaesthetist's artery”
    - upward and forward to a point 1.25 cm lateral to angle of mouth
      - ascends by side of nose
        
        up to medial angle of eye
        
        terminates by supplying lacrimal sac
        
        anastomoses with dorsal nasal branch of ophthalmic artery
    - tortuous course
      - helps its walls from collapsing
    - lies between superficial and deep muscles of face
- Branches
  - FACIAL PART
    - anterior branches
      - inferior labial - lower lip
      - superior labial -
        
        upper lip
        
        anteroinferior part of nasal septum
      - lateral nasal
        
        ala and dorsum of nose
    - posterior branches are very small
  - CERVICAL PART
    - ascending palatine
      - goes upward between stylopharyngeus and styloglossus
    - tonsillar
    - submental
      - accompanies mylohyoid nerve
      - supplies submental triangle and sublingual salivary gland
    - glandular