The ascending palatine artery arises from the facial artery near its origin and ascends along the superior pharyngeal constrictor to reach the soft palate and the superior palatine tonsil. It supplies the soft palate musculature, the tonsillar bed, the Eustachian tube, and the posterior nasal wall. It anastomoses with the descending palatine artery from the maxillary system to form a palatal arcade.
The ascending palatine artery is relevant in palatal cleft surgery, where it must be identified and preserved in pharyngoplasty flap elevation from the posterior pharyngeal wall and soft palate. In palatopharyngeus flap procedures for velopharyngeal incompetence, the ascending palatine artery is the flap pedicle. It is also encountered during uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) for obstructive sleep apnoea, where palatal mucosal bleeding during palatoplasty originates from this artery.
The ascending palatine artery provides the pedicle for the posterior pharyngeal wall flap used in sphincter pharyngoplasty for velopharyngeal incompetence after cleft palate repair; the flap is elevated on the lateral pharyngeal walls with the bilateral ascending palatine artery pedicles preserved as the central flap attachment.
This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Some are essential for site functionality, while others help us analyze and improve your usage experience. Please review your options and make your choice.
If you are under 16 years old, please ensure that you have received consent from your parent or guardian for any non-essential cookies.
Your privacy is important to us. You can adjust your cookie settings at any time. For more information about how we use data, please read our privacy policy. You may change your preferences at any time by clicking on the settings button below.
Note that if you choose to disable some types of cookies, it may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.
Some required resources have been blocked, which can affect third-party services and may cause the site to not function properly.
This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and ensure the site functions properly. By continuing to use this site, you acknowledge and accept our use of cookies.
