The parietotemporal artery is an important arterial vessel in the human body that supplies blood to the head. It is part of large arteries, such as the anterior and posterior cerebral arteries, which diverge from the mouth of the common carotid artery and penetrate the vascular bed of the brain.
The parietotemporal artery is located in the side wall of the canal of the musculocutaneous fistula and is the largest artery that supplies the temporal bone and the parietal bone itself, passing outward along the lateral surfaces of the skull. In the canal of the parietal bone it emerges onto its anterior surface. In addition, it supplies blood to the deep parts of the temporal bone, including the cerebral cortex of the temporal lobe.
The purpose of the parietotemporal artery is to supply all the structures that are inside the skull, since it has the highest permeability for blood, and also due to its low resistance to pressure loss. She needs a significant volume of blood to cover the needs of all organs of the head.
If an artery is damaged, the brain experiences an acute lack of oxygen and nutrients necessary for the normal functioning of nerve cells, which can lead to serious consequences for the health and even life of the patient.
Pathology of the parietotemporal artery is observed quite rarely. It usually occurs due to head injuries, vascular problems, hemorrhagic strokes, arterial disease, or high blood pressure. The most dangerous complications are strokes, cerebellar lesions and vision problems.
Various methods are used to diagnose pathology, such as magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, computed tomography, etc. In this case, it is important to identify the presence of compression of the artery by the bone substrate, abnormal vasodilatation, or other changes.
Treatment