Quick Facts
Origin: Facial artery.
Course: Ascends to the medial angle of the orbit.
Branches: None.
Supplied Structures: Lacrimal sac, orbicularis oculi muscle, and lower eyelid.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The angular artery is the terminal portion of the facial artery. However, if the facial artery is deficient, the angular artery is replaced by either the nasal branch of the ophthalmic artery, the transverse facial artery, or the maxillary artery (Tubbs et al, 2016).
Course
The angular artery continues to ascend on the face to the medial angle of the orbit, within the fibers of the levator nasolabialis muscle. The angular artery is usually small, and its course is variable.
Branches
There are no named branches.
Supplied Structures
The angular artery provides arterial supply to the lacrimal sac, orbicularis oculi muscle, and lower eyelid. Additionally, it anastomosis with the external nasal artery (or dorsal nasal branch of the ophthalmic artery).
References
Tubbs, R. S., Shoja, M. M. & Loukas, M. (2016) Bergman's Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation. Wiley.
Learn more about this topic from other Elsevier products
Angular Artery
The angular artery, the part of the facial artery beyond its most distal branch, passes towards the medial canthus.
