title: Arterial supply of the human soft palate.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Palatal surgery for snoring or obstructive sleep apnea is commonly performed; however, the vascular anatomy of the soft palate is not well described. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the vascular anatomy of the soft palate.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was performed on 22 adult cadaveric heads. All specimens were prepared with vascular injections using red liquid silicone through the common carotid artery. The palate was then harvested and decolorized, and the vascular anatomy was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 22 specimens, 20 had sufficient uptake of the silicone dye. The anterior and posterior branches of the ascending palatine artery were the main feeding vessels of the soft palate; however, they were not always present simultaneously. The anterior branch alone was identified 25% of the time (5/20), while the posterior branch alone was found in 35% (7/20) of specimens. Both anterior and posterior branches were simultaneously present in 40% (8/20) of cases. Mean diameter of the anterior branch (0.73 ± 0.09 mm) was significantly greater than that of the posterior branch (0.48 ± 0.08 mm, p < 0.001). Mean vertical distance from the palatal arch to the posterior branch was 9.3 ± 2.4 mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The soft palate is supplied by the anterior and posterior branches of the ascending palatine artery; however, the arteries were not always present simultaneously. In cases where the anterior branch is absent and the posterior branches terminate close to the uvula, injury to the primary blood supply to the palate might occur more frequently during surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134, Shinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyoung Woo
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Kook
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134, Shinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, South Korea. jhyoon@yuhs.ac.|The Airway Mucus Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. jhyoon@yuhs.ac.|BK21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. jhyoon@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Joo-Heon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yoon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001158:Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000098:blood supply*
keywords: Arterial supply; Ascending palatine artery; Soft palate; Uvula