The ascending palatine artery is the first branch of the facial artery, which in turn arises from the external carotid. It supplies the soft palate, the walls of pharynx, the tonsils, as well as the styloglossus and the stylopharyngeous muscle with oxygenated blood.
The ascending palatine originates from the superior-posterior side of facial artery. Then it travels up on the lateral wall of the pharynx, between the styloglossus and the stylopharyngeous muscle, giving off collateral branches that supplies these muscles.
The ascending palatine artery keeps climbing up to reach the levator veli palatini muscle, where it divides into two secondary branches; one which brings oxygenated blood to the soft palate; the other pierces the superior constrictor muscle to supply the tonsil and Eustachian tube. These final branches anastomoses with terminal branches of the ascending pharyngeal artery.
Below, schematic picture of the face region, showing the external carotid, the facial, and the ascending palatine artery.
