Inferior tympanic artery

The inferior tympanic artery is a small branch of the ascending pharyngeal artery which passes through the tympanic canaliculus alongside the tympanic branch of glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX) to reach and provide arterial supply to the medial wall of the tympanic cavity^[1] where it forms anastomoses with the other tympanic arteries.^{[citation needed]}

Inferior tympanic artery
Superficial dissection of the right side of the neck, showing the carotid and subclavian arteries
Details
Precursor	aortic arch 2
Source	Ascending pharyngeal artery
Identifiers
Latin	arteria tympanica inferior
TA98	A12.2.05.013
TA2	4381
FMA	49506
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

Clinical significance

In the case of a missing or underdeveloped cervical ICA, the Inferior tympanic artery can provide collateral ICA circulation by reversing flow of the caroticotympanic artery (embryologic hyoid artery). This can result in pulsatile tinnitus. The resulting aberrant carotid artery can mimic neoplasm on CT.^{[citation needed]}