The superficial temporal artery is the terminal branch of the external carotid artery and the primary supply to the temporal scalp and forehead, anastomosing with the supraorbital and supratrochlear arteries (from the ophthalmic artery) at the forehead. It is the primary feeding vessel for temporal pedicled flaps in reconstructive surgery and is the artery biopsied in the diagnosis of temporal arteritis (giant cell arteritis).
| Origin | Terminal branch of the external carotid artery, with the maxillary artery, at the level of the neck of the mandible |
|---|---|
| Course | Passes through the parotid gland, crosses the zygomatic arch anterior to the auricle, and divides into frontal (anterior) and parietal (posterior) branches over the temporal region |
| Branches |
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Temporal artery biopsy is the standard test for giant cell arteritis: a segment of at least 2 cm of the frontal or parietal branch is removed and examined for granulomatous inflammation. Skip lesions mean a negative biopsy does not exclude the diagnosis, and high-dose corticosteroids must not be delayed while waiting, because of the risk of sudden vision loss. The frontal or parietal branch is used as the donor in superficial temporal to middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass for moyamoya disease and selected carotid occlusions, so it should be preserved when planning temporal craniotomy incisions. The parietal branch supplies the temporoparietal fascia flap, a thin vascularised flap used in ear and scalp reconstruction.
Giant cell arteritis of the superficial temporal and ophthalmic arteries producing temporal headache, scalp tenderness, and blindness risk managed with immediate high-dose corticosteroids and temporal artery biopsy confirmation.
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