ster·no·clei·do·mas·toid branches of oc·cip·i·tal ar·ter·y
branches of occipital artery to sternocleidomastoid muscle. One often hooks around the hypoglossal nerve. It may arise as an independent branch of the external carotid, in which case it may be (unofficially) referred to as the sternomastoid artery. Synonym(s): rami sternocleidomastoidei arteriae occipitalis