superior tympanic artery superior tympanic artery the superior tympanic artery is a small artery in the head. it is a branch of the middle meningeal artery. on entering the cranium it runs in the canal for the tensor tympani muscle and supplies this muscle and the lining membrane of the canal. superior tympanic arterythe medial wall and part of the posterior and anterior walls of the right tympanic cavity, lateral view. (artery not shown, but tensor tympani muscle indicated with arrow)detailsprecursorstapedial arterysourcemiddle meningeal arterysuppliestensor tympani muscleidentifierslatinarteria tympanica superiorta98a12.2.05.067ta24437fma49720anatomical terminology