med school question

Not quite sure where you are seeing an anastomosis there.

Look up the Circle of Willis, which does contain anastomoses - I think that will help you to understand the difference.

The two terminal branches of the external carotid are the superficial temporal artery, as you've said, and the maxillary artery.

On your diagram, that is not an anastomosis, but just two branches of the superficial temporal artery.

Thank you very much for your reply back! I was wondering what would you define as an anastomoses as I am confusing its definition a lot. And where is the anastomoses in the circle of Willis (apologies if it is obvious - just want to make sure)

Thank you very much!!

In simple terms, just think of an anastomosis as a junction and you have roads (blood vessels) converging at the anastomosis.

Basically any system where you have different blood vessels connecting.

The circle of Willis itself is an anastomosis.

Thank you very much! Also, is the junction you have kindly mentioned a closed junction like the circle of Willis or can it be a open junction?

E.g. look at Superior lateral and inferior lateral genicular arteries and how they join up = form an anastomosis with each other (similarly with the medical counterparts) - sorry different pic = knee (Greek genuine = bend like a knee)

Sort of, but your blue circled part needs 1/3 chopped off from top and bottom each, so the anastomosis is the middle bit - it is shown as 2 branches of the arteries joining, but in reality there are several smaller ones joining.

AND the word is anastomosis (singular) OR anatomoses (plural).

Ah yes! Thank you very much
So it is the blue bits in this picture right? An anastomosis is 2 branches of one artery joining to 2 branches of another artery in this case - is that correct?

Yes, in this schematic diagram, but several (probs numerous) in real life NOT two.

Also,in the other picture that I have attached , I am struggling to understand where the anastomoses occur?
If possible, could you please kindly let me know your thoughts on this?

This is a SCHEMATIC diagram, with veins shown as arrows, so it DOES NOT SHOW THE anastomoses per se. The fact that the 2 veins [in this case] anastomosing are joined up and draining blood from the same point in opposite directions tells you that THEY ANASTOMOSE.

Thank you very much - once again, many thanks for all your help! Sorry for all the headache

I HAVE A COUPLE OF PIECES OF ADVICE FOR YOU (and take them as constructive criticism, pls!):-
1. While it is very good to learn/understand extreme detail (I myself was named "Detail Friek" by my lecturers!!), don't bog yourself down into far too much detail, otherwise you will have no time for numerous other aspects of the medical curriculum - depth of knowledge is important but so is BREADTH.
2. Concentrate on what is clinically relevant and important e.g. the presence of an anastomotic arterial supply to an organ means that if one artery is blocked or damaged, there is a backup of blood supply. Extreme detail in anatomy will come if you decide to do FRCS after qualification in medicine, for obvious reasons.

M (former medical student)