The posterior auricular artery is a small branch of the external carotid artery that arises from its posterior aspect at the level of the superior border of the posterior belly of the digastric muscle. This artery supplies some muscles of the neck and the tympanic cavity of the middle ear.

The artery arises above the digastric and stylohyoid muscles, passes upwards between the parotid gland and the styloid process of the temporal bone to the back of the auricular cartilage, and then divides into auricular and occipital branches.

The auricular branch provides arterial blood supply to the medial aspect of the auricle and extrinsic auricular muscles. The occipital branch supplies the occipital belly of the occipitofrontalis muscle and the posterior aspect of the auricle.

On its course, the posterior auricular artery gives rise to the stylomastoid artery. It enters the stylomastoid foramen and supplies the facial nerve (CN VII), tympanic cavity, as well as the mastoid antrum and mastoid cells.

Also, the posterior auricular artery supplies the parotid gland with the parotid branch.

To sum up, the posterior auricular artery with its branches supplies some of the neck muscles (including the digastric, stylohyoid and sternocleidomastoid muscles), parotid gland, tympanic cavity, facial nerve (CN VII), as well as the mastoid antrum and cells.

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Posterior auricular artery