The descending branch of occipital artery, the largest branch of the occipital, descends on the back of the neck, and divides into a superficial and deep portion.
- The superficial portion runs beneath the splenius, giving off branches which pierce that muscle to supply the trapezius and anastomose with the ascending branch of the transverse cervical.
- The deep portion runs down between the semispinales capitis and colli, and anastomoses with the vertebral and with the a. profunda cervicalis, a branch of the costocervical trunk.
| Descending branch of occipital artery | |
|---|---|
 Superficial dissection of the right side of the neck, showing the carotid and subclavian arteries. | |
| Details | |
| Source | occipital artery |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | ramus descendens arteriae occipitalis |
| TA98 | A12.2.05.036 |
| TA2 | 4404 |
| FMA | 49608 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
The anastomosis between these vessels assists in establishing the collateral circulation after ligature of the common carotid or subclavian artery.
References
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This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 556 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
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