Neuroanatomy, Middle Meningeal Arteries

The middle meningeal artery is a vital artery that plays an important clinical role. The middle meningeal artery (MMA) normally branches off the maxillary artery, which is an extension of the external carotid artery. The artery will then travel through the foramen spinosum, which is posterolateral from the foramen ovale, to supply blood to the dura mater. The middle meningeal artery arises from a complex embryological origin, which gives rise to many anatomic variations of the artery. Awareness of these anatomic variations becomes important for surgeons to reduce the risk of complications during surgical repair.

The middle meningeal artery has a number of clinical implications. Rupture of the artery, which most commonly occurs at the pterion, typically leads to an epidural hematoma (see Image. Epidural Hematoma After Trauma). The resulting hematoma is described as a “lens-shaped” mass on a computed tomogram (CT) scan. Damage to the middle meningeal artery may also result in an aneurysm or arteriovenous fistulas. Due to the middle meningeal artery's attachment to the pain-sensitive dura mater, the artery also plays a role in migraine headaches.