The sphenopalatine artery is a deep blood vessel of the face. It supplies part of the nasal cavity, septum of nose and part of pharynx with oxygenated blood. It arises from the third part of maxillary artery (the pterygopalatine portion), being its terminal branch.
Once it has arisen, the sphenopalatine artery runs upwards, as it goes through the sphenopalatine foramen. It enters the cavity of the nose, where it ramifies to form the following vessels:
1) the supreme pharyngeal artery, which supplies the upper border of pharynx;
2) the posterior lateral nasal arteries, which bring oxygenated blood to the lateral wall of the cavity of nose, the middle and inferior nasal conchae, and the mucous membrane of the frontal and maxillary sinus;
3) the posterior septal nasal branch, which supplies the mucous membrane of the septum of the nose. It anastomoses with the greater palatine and the superior labial artery.
Below, saggital image of right side of nose and oral cavity, showing the origin and branches of the sphenopalatine artery.
