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Arteries of the head & neck

Common carotid artery

  • Right common carotid artery arises from brachiocephalic artery
  • Left common carotid artery arises from arch of the aorta
  • Embedded in carotid sheath
  • Related to:
    • Internal jugular vein
    • Vagus nerve
  • Divides at upper border of thyroid cartilage into internal and external carotid
  • Just proximal to division is carotid sinus
    • Contains nerve endings from glossopharyngeal nerve
    • Functions as baroreceptor
  • Posterior to the bifurcation is the carotid body
    • Innervated by glossopharyngeal nerve
    • Functions as chemoreceptor

External carotid artery

  • Terminal branch of common carotid artery
  • Begins at level of upper border of thyroid cartilage
  • Terminates in substance of parotid gland
  • Terminal branches are:
    • Superficial temporal artery
    • Maxillary artery
  • Branches of the external carotid artery in the neck are:
    • Superior thyroid artery
    • Ascending pharyngeal artery
    • Lingual artery
    • Facial artery
    • Occipital artery
    • Posterior auricular artery

Internal carotid artery

  • Terminal branch of common carotid artery
  • Begins at level of upper border of thyroid cartilage
  • Enters cranial cavity through carotid canal in petrous part of temporal bone
  • Embedded in carotid sheath
  • Related to:
    • Internal jugular vein
    • Vagus nerve
  • It has no branches in the neck
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