This document describes the branches and anatomy of the external carotid artery. It notes that the external carotid artery has two main branches: the external carotid artery and subclavian artery. It then provides details on several key branches of the external carotid artery and their course and blood supply, including the ascending pharyngeal artery, superior thyroid artery, lingual artery, facial artery, posterior auricular artery, occipital artery, superficial temporal artery, and maxillary artery. It also briefly describes the internal jugular vein and external jugular vein.

2.  Artery
 Veins

3. Two main arteries:
 External Carotid Artery
 Subclavian Artery

4.  Terminal branch of the
common carotid artery
 Level of the upper border
of the thyroid cartilage
 Terminates within the
parotid gland at the level
of the neck of the
mandible

5. Branches:
 Ascending Pharyngeal artery.
 Superior thyroid artery.
 Lingual artery
 Facial artery
 Posterior auricular artery
 Occipital artery
 Superficial temporal artery
 Maxillary artery

6. Ascending
pharyngeal artery
Occipital artery
Posterior auricular
artery
Superior thyroid artery
Lingual artery
Facial artery

7. Ascending
pharyngeal artery
 Ascends the wall of
the pharynx
 Supplies pharynx
and palatine tonsil

8. Superior thyroid
artery
 Passes along with
the external
laryngeal nerve
 Supplies thyroid
gland
 Gives superior
laryngeal artery

9. Lingual artery
 Passes towards
the tongue deep to
the hyoglossus
muscle
 Divided into three
parts

10. Facial Artery
Branches in the neck
 Ascending palatine
artery
 Tonsillar artery
 Submental artery
 Glandular branches
Branches in the face
 Inferior labial artery
 Superior labial artery
 Lateral nasal artery

11. Posterior auricular
artery
 Passes posteriorly
along the upper
border of the
posterior belly of
the digastric
muscle
 Supplies the
external ear and
posterior quadrant
of the scalp

12. Occipital artery
 Passes posteriorly along the
lower border of the posterior
belly of the digastric muscle
 Supplies posterior quadrant
of the scalp

13. Occipital artery

14. Superficial temporal artery
 Terminal branch of the
external carotid artery
 Gives the transverse
facial artery
 Supplies the temporal
region and anterior
quadrant of the scalp.

15. Maxillary Artery
 Terminal branch of the
external carotid artery
 Divided into 3 parts by
the lateral pterygoid
muscle.
 Pterygoid part:
 Mandibular part
 Pterygomaxillary part

16. Maxillary Artery

17. Origin
 Rt. Side – brachiocephalic
trunk
 Lt. Side – direct branch from
the arch of aorta
Course
 Arches laterally in the root of
the neck in front of the apex
of the lung
 Ends at the outer border of
the first rib.

18. Divided by the scalenus
anterior
 First part
Vertebral artery
Internal thoracic artery
Thyrocervical trunk
 Second part
Costocervical trunk
 Third part
Dorsal scapular artery.

20.  Internal Jugular
vein.
 External Jugular
vein.
 Retromandibular
vein.
 Facial vein

21.  Continuation of the
sigmoid sinus
 Descends along with the
internal carotid , common
carotid artery and the
vagus nerve
 Terminates by joining the
subclavian vein

24.  Formation: Union of posterior division of the
retromandibular vein and posterior auricular vein
 Descends along the sternocleidomastoid muscle,
pierces the deep fascia and terminates into
subclavian vein

27. Retro-
Mandibular V.
Ext.jugular V.
Post.auricular
V.
C.Facial V.
Superficial
Temporal V.
Maxillary V.
Int.jugular V.
Facial Vs.