The anterior ethmoidal artery is a branch of the

ophthalmic artery The ophthalmic artery (OA) is an artery of the head. It is the first branch of the internal carotid artery distal to the cavernous sinus. Branches of the ophthalmic artery supply all the structures in the orbit around the eye, as well as some ...

in the orbit. It exits the orbit through the

anterior ethmoidal foramen The anterior ethmoidal foramen is a small opening in the ethmoid bone in the skull. Lateral to either olfactory groove are the internal openings of the anterior and posterior ethmoidal foramina (or canals). The anterior ethmoidal foramen, situ ...

alongside the

anterior ethmoidal nerve The anterior ethmoidal nerve is a nerve of the head. It is a branch of the nasociliary nerve (itself a branch of the ophthalmic nerve (V1)). It arises in the orbit, and enters first the cranial cavity and then the nasal cavity. It provides sensor ...

. It contributes blood supply to the ethmoid sinuses,

frontal sinuses The frontal sinuses are one of the four pairs of paranasal sinuses that are situated behind the brow ridges. Sinuses are mucosa-lined airspaces within the bones of the face and skull. Each opens into the anterior part of the corresponding middle ...

, the dura mater, lateral nasal wall, and

nasal septum The nasal septum () separates the left and right airways of the Human nose, nasal cavity, dividing the two nostrils. It is Depression (kinesiology), depressed by the depressor septi nasi muscle. Structure The fleshy external end of the nasal s ...

. It issues a meningeal branch, and nasal branches.

Structure

Origin

The anterior ethmoidal artery branches from the ophthalmic artery distal to the posterior ethmoidal artery.

Course and relations

It travels with the

to exit the medial wall of the orbit at the anterior ethmoidal foramen. It then travels through the anterior ethmoidal canal and gives branches which supply the

frontal sinus The frontal sinuses are one of the four pairs of paranasal sinuses that are situated behind the brow ridges. Sinuses are mucosa-lined airspaces within the bones of the face and skull. Each opens into the anterior part of the corresponding middle ...

and anterior and middle ethmoid air cells. Following which, it enters the

anterior cranial fossa The anterior cranial fossa is a depression in the floor of the cranial base which houses the projecting frontal lobes of the brain. It is formed by the orbital plates of the frontal, the cribriform plate of the ethmoid, and the small wings and ...

where it bifurcates into a meningeal branch and nasal branch. The nasal branch travels through

cribriform plate In mammalian anatomy, the cribriform plate (Latin for lit. '' sieve-shaped''), horizontal lamina or lamina cribrosa is part of the ethmoid bone. It is received into the ethmoidal notch of the frontal bone and roofs in the nasal cavities. It s ...

to enter the

nasal cavity The nasal cavity is a large, air-filled space above and behind the nose in the middle of the face. The nasal septum divides the cavity into two cavities, also known as fossae. Each cavity is the continuation of one of the two nostrils. The nas ...

and runs in a groove on the deep surface of the

nasal bone The nasal bones are two small oblong bones, varying in size and form in different individuals; they are placed side by side at the middle and upper part of the face and by their junction, form the bridge of the upper one third of the nose. Eac ...

. Here it bifurcates into a medial and lateral branch. The lateral branch supplies blood to the lateral wall of the nasal cavity and the medial branch to the

. A terminal branch of the lateral branch, called the external nasal branch passes between the nasal bone and the nasal cartilage to supply the skin of the

nose A nose is a sensory organ and respiratory structure in vertebrates. It consists of a nasal cavity inside the head, and an external nose on the face. The external nose houses the nostrils, or nares, a pair of tubes providing airflow through the ...

Branches

*branches to ethmoid air cells and frontal sinus *meningeal branch (supplies some dura mater of anterior cranial fossa, has been called the anterior falx/falcine artery) *nasal branches (travel through cribriform foramina to enter the nasal cavity) **lateral nasal branch (supplies lateral wall of nasal cavity) ***external nasal branch (supplies skin of nose) **medial nasal branch (supplies nasal septum)

References

External links