This document summarizes anatomy of the head and neck region. It describes the larynx, its cartilages including the thyroid, cricoid, and epiglottic cartilages. It also discusses the carotid triangle located in the neck, bounded by the sternocleidomastoid muscle and omohyoid muscle. Finally, it outlines the internal carotid artery including its branches from the common carotid artery and its four segments through the neck and skull.

1. Head and Neck
Anatomy
By: Nahshon Bushrod-Lowe & Justin
Cruz

2. Larynx
● Mid-line of the human body
● Connects the Pharynx to the trachea
● Air goes down & through the larynx
● 9 total cartilages
○ 3 paired
○ 3 unpaired
● Thyroid cartilage forms the male adamsapple
● Cricoid cartilage
○ responsible for holding the upper and lower respiratory tracts together
● Artienoid
○ paired cartilage
○ articulates inferiorly with the cricoid cartilage
○ only hyaline cartilages that are paired
● Epiglottic cartilage
○ keeps food from entering the the lungs
● corniculate cartilage
○ where the epiglottic folds to block food from entering the lungs

3. The Carotid Triangle
● Located in the neck
● Triangle known to be a scalene triangle where none of the
sides are equal
● Posterior border - Largest side - base of triangle
o Formed by Sternocleidomastoid Muscle
o Rotates Head
● Shortest side - Omohyoid Muscle
● Floor of Triangle
o Formed by parts of Thyroid Muscle and Hyoglossus
Muscle.

4. Internal Carotid Artery
● One of two arterial branches that stem from the
Common Carotid Artery.
● Arises from arch of Aorta
o Largest Blood Vessel in the body
o Arises from the heart itself - Descends through Thorax
● Two main Ways to Categorize areas of Internal Carotid Artery
o 4 Segments to the Artery: Cervical Segment, Petrous Segment,
Cavernous Segment, and Cerebral Segment
o More Clinically accepted: No less than 7 segments:
 Cervical, Petrous, Lacerum, Cavernous, Clinoid,
Ophthalmic, Communicating Segments