Cadaver Studies of the Anatomy of Arterial Supply to the Inferior Turbinates

The anatomy of the arterial supply of the inferior turbinate was studied by dissection and serial histological sections. The arrangement was found to be constant, with a single main descending branch of the sphenopalatine artery entering its substance from above, 1-1.5 cm from its posterior border. This artery branches as it passes forwards within the turbinate, remaining close to the bone. As these pass anteriorly they give rise to arterial arcades which remain close to or within the bone, with the main artery increasing in diameter. The implications of these findings are discussed in a surgical context.