The middle meningeal artery, whose injury causes epidural hematoma, is a branch of which vessel and enters the skull through which foramen?
- A Maxillary artery (from external carotid); enters through foramen spinosum ✓
- B Internal carotid artery; enters through foramen lacerum
- C Ophthalmic artery; enters through superior orbital fissure
- D Occipital artery; enters through jugular foramen
Correct answer: A. Maxillary artery (from external carotid); enters through foramen spinosum
Explanation
The middle meningeal artery is the largest artery of the dura mater; it is a branch of the maxillary artery (the terminal branch of the first part of the external carotid artery), enters the middle cranial fossa through the foramen spinosum, and grooves the inner surface of the temporal bone. Rupture of its anterior division (at the pterion — thinnest skull point) by temporal bone fracture produces a lens-shaped (biconvex) extradural (epidural) hematoma with a lucid interval followed by rapid neurological deterioration.
Reference: BD Chaurasia's Human Anatomy, 8th ed.
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