1. Main Arteries and Veins
of Neck
The head and neck receives the
majority of its blood supply
through the carotid and vertebral
arteries.
2.
3. Common Carotid Artery
The right common carotid artery arises from
a bifurcation of thebrachiocephalic trunk (the
right subclavian artery is the other branch). This
bifurcation occurs roughly at the level of the right
sternoclavicular joint
The left common carotid artery branches directly
from the arch of aorta. The left and right
common carotid arteries ascend up the
neck, lateral to the trachea and the oesophagus.
They do not give off any branches in the neck.
4. At the level of the superior margin of the
thyroid cartilage (C4), the carotid arteries
split into the external and internal carotid
arteries. This bifurcation occurs in an
anatomical area known as the carotid
triangle.
5.
6. Carotid Sinus
At its point of division, the common carotid
artery shows a localized dilatation, called
carotid sinus
It serves as a reflex pressoreceptor
mechanism
A rise in blood pressure causes a slowing
of the heart rate and vasodilatation of the
arterioles
7. Carotid Body
It is a small structure lies posterior to the point of
bifurcation of the common carotid artery
It is innervated by glossopharyngeal nerve
It serves as a chemoreceptor
Sensitive to excess carbon dioxide and reduced oxygen
tension in the blood
Stimulus reflex produces a rise in blood pressure and
heart rate and increase in respiratory movements
8. Common Carotid Artery
It is embedded in the carotid sheath
throughout its course
Closely related with the internal jugular
vein and vagus nerve
Apart from the two terminal branches, the
common carotid artery gives off no branch
in the neck
9. Relations
Anterolaterally: The skin, fascia,
sternocleidomastoid, sternohyoid,
sternothyroid, and posterior belly of
omohyoid
Posteriorly: The transverse processes of
lower four cervical vertebrae, the
prevertebral muscles, sympathetic trunk,
vertebral vessels in the lower part of the
neck
10. Relations
Medially: The larynx, pharynx, and below
these, the trachea and esophagus, the
lobe of thyroid gland
Laterally: The internal jugular vein, and
posterolaterally, the vagus nerve
11. External Carotid Artery
It is one of the terminal branches of the common
carotid artery
It supplies the structures in the neck, face, scalp,
tongue and maxilla
Begins at the level of the upper border of the
thyroid cartilage
Terminates in the substance of the parotid gland
by dividing into superficial temporal and
maxillary arteries
12.
13. External Carotid Artery
At its origin, where its pulsation can be felt,
the artery lies within the carotid triangle
At first, it lies medial to the internal carotid
artery
It is crossed by the posterior belly of the
digastric and the stylohyoid
14. Relations
Anterolaterally: overlapped by
sternocleidomastoid muscle, fascia and
skin, it is crossed by the hypoglossal nerve
the posterior belly of the digastric muscle
and the stylohyoid, crossed by the facial
nerve within the parotid gland
The internal jugular vein first lie anterior to
the artery then posterior to it
15. Relations
Medially: the wall of the pharynx, internal
carotid artery
The stylopharyngeus muscle, the
glossopharyngeal nerve, and pharyngeal
branch of the vagus pass between the
external and internal carotid arteries
18. Superior Thyroid Artery
Arises from the external carotid artery near its
origin
Passes almost vertically downward
Reach the upper pole of thyroid gland
It gives off a branch to the sternocleidomastoid
The superior laryngeal artery pierces the
thyrohyoid membrane with the internal laryngeal
nerve
21. Lingual Artery
It arises from the external carotid artery,
opposite the tip of the greater cornu of hyoid
bone
It loops upward to enter the submandibular
region
The loop of the artery is crossed superficially by
the hypoglossal nerve
It supplies the tongue
22.
23. Facial Artery
It arises from the external carotid artery,
just above the level of the tip of the greater
cornu of hyoid bone
It arches upward deep to reach the
posterior part of the submandibular
salivary gland
It supplies the face
24.
25.
26. Occipital Artery
It arises from the external carotid artery,
opposite the facial artery
It passes upward and reaches the back of
the scalp
Its terminal part accompanies branches of
the greater occipital nerve to supply the
back of scalp
27. Posterior Auricular Artery
It arises from the external carotid artery, at
the level of the upper border of the
posterior belly of the digastric muscle
It passes backward to reach the auricle
28.
29. Superficial Temporal Artery
It is the smaller terminal branch of the
external carotid artery
Ascends in front of the auricle in company
with auriculotemporal nerve
It divides into anterior and posterior
branches, which supply the skin over the
frontal and temporal regions
30.
31. Maxillary Artery
It is the larger terminal branch of the
external carotid artery in the parotid gland
It arises behind the neck of the mandible
It runs upward and forward, leaves the
infratemporal fossa by entering the
pterygopalatine fossa
32.
33. Branches of Maxillary Artery
Inferior alveolar artery
Middle meningeal artery
Small branches to the external auditory
meatus and the tympanic membrane
Small muscular branches supply the
muscles of mastication
34. Internal Carotid artery
It is one of the terminal branches of the common
carotid artery
It supplies the brain, the eye, the forehead, and
the part of nose
It begins at the level of the upper border of the
thyroid cartilage
Ascends in the neck to the base of the skull
35.
36. Internal Carotid artery
It enters the cranial cavity through the
carotid canal in the petrous part of the
temporal bone
It lies embedded in the carotid sheath with
the internal jugular vein and vagus nerve
It gives off no branches in the neck
37.
38. Relations
Anterolaterally: Below the digastric lie the skin,
the fascia, anterior border of
sternocleidomastoid and the hypoglossal nerve
Above the digastric lie the stylohyoid and the
stylopharyngeus muscles, the glossopharyngeal
nerve, the pharyngeal branch of vagus nerve,
the parotid gland and the external carotid artery
39. Relations
Posteriorly: The sympathetic trunk, longus
capitis muscle, and the transverse processes of
the upper three cervical vertebrae
Medially: The pharyngeal wall and the superior
laryngeal nerve
Laterally: The internal jugular vein and the vagus
nerve
40. Veins of the Neck
There are three main jugular veins –
external, internal and anterior. They are
ultimately responsible for the venous
drainage of the whole head and neck.
41. External Jugular Vein
The external jugular vein is formed behind the
angle of the jaw by the union of the posterior
auricular vein with the posterior division of the
retromandibular vein ( STV + MV)
It descends across the sternocleidomastoid
muscle and beneath the platysma muscle
It drains into the subclavian vein behind the
middle of the clavicle
42.
43. Anterior Jugular Vein
The anterior jugular vein descends in the
front of the neck close to the midline
Just above the sternum, it is joined to the
opposite vein by the jugular arch
It joins the external jugular vein deep to
the sternocleidomastoid muscle
44. Internal Jugular Vein
The internal jugular vein is a large vein
that receives blood from the brain, face,
and neck
It starts as a continuation of the sigmoid
sinus and leaves the skull through the
jugular foramen
45.
46. Internal Jugular Vein
It then descends through the neck in the
carotid sheath lateral to the vagus nerve
and the internal and common carotid
arteries
It ends by joining the subclavian vein
behind the medial end of the clavicle to
form the brachiocephalic vein
47. Internal Jugular Vein
Throughout its course, it is closely related
to the deep cervical lymph nodes
The vein has a dilatation at its upper end
called the superior bulb and another near
its termination called the inferior bulb
Directly above the inferior bulb is a
bicuspid valve