The arteries of the lacrimal gland

Abstract

The vascularization of 70 lacrimal glands was studied by orbital dissection subsequent to injection of the arterial bed with red-dyed latex. The origin, diameter and collateral branches of the lacrimal artery and its anatomical relations were investigated. Three types of lacrimal vascularization were seen. In the type I variety, the lacrimal artery originates from the ophthalmic artery and runs along the margin of the rectus lateralis muscle. In this case, the lacrimal artery is a major source of vascular supply to the muscle. In the type II variety, the lacrimal artery originates from the middle meningeal artery. In this case, the lacrimal artery is only a very modest source of vascular supply to the muscle. The type III variety features two lacrimal arteries vascularizing the lacrimal gland. One of the arteries originates from the ophthalmic, while the other arises from the middle meningeal. In this case, the lacrimal gland is the site of an intraorbital anastomosis between the internal and external carotid systems. The lacrimal gland is innervated by the lacrimal nerve and the lacrimal rami of the maxillary nerve. Preliminary results regarding certain morphological features of the lacrimal nerve are reported in this paper.

Intraorbital False (Thrombosed) Aneurysm of the Meningolacrimal Branch of the Middle Meningeal Artery: A Case Report and an Appraisal of Anatomy

“…9,10 The meningolacrimal artery and foramen are more commonly encountered when the ophthalmic artery crosses below the optic nerve and not above. 11,12 Occasionally the meningolacrimal artery may arise from the deep anterior temporal artery and not from the middle meningeal artery. 11…”

“…This diminutive meningolacrimal artery has several clinical implications. In his detailed anatomical dissections, Ducasse and associates 12 classified the blood supply of the lacrimal gland into 3 varieties. In type 1, only the classic lacrimal artery arising from the ophthalmic artery is seen.…”

“…12 It may also become the main vascular supply of meningiomas of the anterior cranial fossa. 13 It could be hypothesized that this elegant internal carotid-external carotid communication, which also exists elsewhere in the skull, may be providing a collateral emergency pathway in cases of internal carotid artery insufficiency or ophthalmic artery occlusion.…”

Clinical considerations of the glandular branch of the lacrimal artery

“…The terminal blood supply to the lacrimal gland in particular has been studied by Vignaud et al (1974), Ducasse et al (1984), Tucker and Lambert (1998), and Govsa (2005, 2007). Nevertheless, up to three glandular branches and three extra-orbital origins for the lacrimal artery have been described.…”

Doppler sonography of the normal lacrimal gland

“…1 The arterial vascularization of the lacrimal gland is classified into 3 main types. 2 In the type I variety, which is the most frequent, the lacrimal artery (LA) is a branch of the ophthalmic artery. In type II, the LA originates from the middle meningeal artery.…”