300 HEAD AND NECK 



Arteria Submentalis. This is a branch of some size. It 

 arises close to the base of the mandible, and runs towards 

 the chin upon the mylo-hyoid muscle. Near the symphysis 

 it changes its direction, and is carried upwards over the border 

 of the mandible, to end in branches for the muscles and 

 integument of the chin and lower lip. In the submaxillary 

 region it gives numerous twigs to the surrounding muscles 

 and glands, and anastomoses with the sublingual artery by 

 branches which pierce the mylo-hyoid muscle. It anasto- 

 moses, in the face, with the inferior labial branch of the 

 external maxillary and the mental branch of the inferior 

 alveolar. 



Vena Facialis Anterior. The cervical portion of the 

 anterior facial has already been seen (p. 23 1) passing posteriorly 

 and downwards, superficial to the submaxillary gland. After 

 receiving tributaries corresponding to the branches of the 

 similar part of the external maxillary artery, it joins the 

 posterior facial vein. The short trunk thus formed is termed 

 the common facial vein, and it pours its blood into the internal 

 jugular at the level of the hyoid bone. 



Arteria Occipitalis. The occipital artery springs from the 

 posterior aspect of the external carotid at the same level as 

 the external maxillary. It takes the lower border of the 

 posterior belly of the digastric muscle as its guide, and runs 

 upwards and posteriorly, under cover of the sterno-mastoid 

 muscle, and generally under cover of the lower border of the 

 posterior belly of the digastric, to reach the interval between 

 the mastoid portion of the base of the skull and the transverse 

 process of the atlas. Thence onwards it has been studied 

 in the dissection of the scalp and the back of the neck 

 (pp. 162, 1 70). The first part of the vessel crosses the internal 

 carotid artery, the vagus nerve, the accessory nerve, and the 

 internal jugular vein, whilst the hypoglossal nerve hooks 

 round it. 



The only branches which spring from this portion of the 

 occipital are: (i) muscular twigs; and (2) a meningeal 

 branch. 



The muscular twigs are given to the neighbouring muscles, 

 and one of them, larger than the others and very constant, is 

 termed the sterno-mastoid branch, runs parallel with the 

 accessory nerve, and sinks with it into the substance of 

 the sterno-mastoid muscle. 



