Superficial temporal artery

• Surgical trapping of a cavernous carotid aneurysm causing carotid cavernous fistula after flow diverter placement: Technical note and literature review
• Application of protective superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery bypass through the lateral supraorbital approach: Technical note
• Revisiting flow augmentation bypass for cerebrovascular atherosclerotic vaso-occlusive disease: Single-surgeon series and review of the literature
• Combined Double-Barrel Superficial Temporal Artery to M4 Bypass and Parent Artery Occlusion for the Treatment of Complex Intracranial Aneurysms in Internal Carotid Artery and Middle Cerebral Artery: A Retrospective Case Series
• Coil embolization for post-bypass aneurysm of middle meningeal artery for moyamoya disease - preservation of transdural anastomosis
• A child who presented with cerebral infarction: Clipping combined with bypass surgery of a thrombosed giant aneurysm
• Catheter Embolization of an Orbital Arteriovenous Fistula in a Patient With Wyburn-Mason Syndrome
• Scalp Reconstruction Using the Latissimus Dorsi Free Flap: A 12-Year Experience

Major artery of the head. It arises from the external carotid artery when it bifurcates into the superficial temporal artery and maxillary artery.

Its pulse is palpable superior to the zygomatic arch, anterior, and superior to the tragus.

The STA coursed over the zygomatic arch or over the condylar process of the mandible in all cases (25/25 pts, 100 %). The STA courses over the posterior zygomatic arch in 23/25 pts (92 %), creating a characteristic “C” shape half-buttonhole configuration as it embraces the arch. When the STA travels posterior to the zygomatic arch, there is no C shape configuration (2/25 pts, 8 %). The STA bifurcates distal to the zygomatic arch in 24/25 pts (96 %).

The “C” shape half-buttonhole configuration is a useful identifying characteristic of the most common course of the STA-over the posterior zygomatic arch before it bifurcates ¹⁾.

The superficial temporal artery is the smaller of two terminal branches that bifurcate superiorly from the external carotid. Based on its direction, the superficial temporal artery appears to be a continuation of the external carotid.

It begins in the substance of the parotid gland, behind the neck of the mandible, and passes superficially over the posterior root of the zygomatic process of the temporal bone; about 5 cm. above this process it divides into two branches, a frontal and a parietal.

As it crosses the zygomatic process, it is covered by the Auricularis anterior muscle, and by a dense fascia; it is crossed by the temporal and zygomatic branches of the facial nerve and one or two veins, and is accompanied by the auriculotemporal nerve, which lies immediately behind it.

Superficial temporal artery frontal branch

Superficial temporal artery parietal branch

see Superficial temporal artery graft.

The superficial temporal artery anastomoses with (among others) the supraorbital artery of the internal carotid artery.

see Superficial temporal artery to superior cerebellar artery bypass.

Superficial temporal artery pseudoaneurysm.

Superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery bypass