Relationship of the maxillary artery and lateral pterygoid muscle in a caucasian sample

Several studies have investigated the relationship between the maxillary artery and the lateral pterygoid muscle, yet controversy still exists regarding this relationship. The purpose of this study was to re-examine this relationship in a sample of caucasian cadavers in Canada.

All soft tissues were removed from the mandibles of 44 caucasian cadavers. Mandibular osteotomies were performed to expose the infratemporal fossa and to dissect the maxillary artery bilaterally. Once accomplished, the relationship of the second part of the maxillary artery to the lower head of the lateral pterygoid muscle, and any variation in symmetry, was recorded.

In the majority of cases (30/44), the artery was found lateral to the lower head of the lateral pterygoid muscle (71% in men and 65% in women). The maxillary artery was found medial to the lower head of the lateral pterygoid muscle in only 14 of the cases (29% in men and 35% in women). No variations in the course of the maxillary artery were noted between the 2 sides and between both genders.

This study shows that the lateral or superficial course of the maxillary artery relative to the lower head of the lateral pterygoid muscle is more prevalent than the medial or deep course. This is in agreement with the majority of previously published results. There were no variations in the course of the artery between the 2 sides of the same cadaver or between cadavers of both genders.