External carotid artery
External carotid artery | |
---|---|
Details | |
Precursor | 1 and 2. aortic arches |
Source | common carotid artery |
Branches | superior thyroid, lingual, facial, ascending pharyngeal, occipital, posterior auricular, maxillary, superficial temporal |
Identifiers | |
Latin | arteria carotis externa |
MeSH | D002342 |
TA98 | A12.2.05.001 |
TA2 | 4369 |
FMA | 10635 |
Anatomical terminology |
The external carotid artery is a major artery of the head and neck. It arises from the common carotid artery when it splits into the external and internal carotid artery. The external carotid artery supplies blood to the face, brain and neck.[1]
Structure
The external carotid artery begins at the upper border of
It rapidly diminishes in size as it travels up the neck, owing to the number and large size of its branches.
At its origin, this artery is closer to the skin and more medial than the internal carotid, and is situated within the carotid triangle.
Development
In children, the external carotid artery is smaller than the
Relations
At the origin, external carotid artery is more medial than internal carotid artery. When external carotid artery ascends the neck, it lies more lateral than internal carotid artery.[2]
The external carotid artery is covered by the skin, superficial fascia,
Medial to it are the
Posterior to it, near its origin, is the
Branches
As the artery travels upwards, it gives the following branches:
- In the carotid triangle:[3]
- Superior thyroid artery, arising from its anterior aspect
- Ascending pharyngeal artery - arising from medial, or deep, aspect
- Lingual artery - arising from its anterior aspect
- Facial artery - arise from its anterior aspect
- Occipital artery - arising from its posterior aspect
- Posterior auricular artery - arising from posterior aspect
The external carotid artery terminates as two branches:
Anastomoses
The superior thyroid artery anastomoses with inferior thyroid artery, where the latter arises from thyrocervical trunk of the subclavian artery.[2]
Terminal branch of facial artery anastomose with ophthalmic artery of internal carotid artery.[2]
Posterior auricular artery anastomose with occipital artery, another branch of external carotid artery.[2]
One of the branches of superficial temporal artery anastomose with lacrimal and palpebral branches of ophthalmic artery.[2]
Diagnostics
The condition and health of the external carotid arteries is usually evaluated using
PSV values greater than 200 cm/s are considered to be predictive of more than 50% of external carotid artery stenosis.[5]
Additional images
-
Branches of external carotid artery
References
- ^ "Carotid artery". WebMD. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
- ^ ISBN 9780702029714.
- ^ Human Anatomy – Lab 25 Step 12
- PMID 24936490.
- PMID 31964570.
External links
- lesson5 at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University)
- lesson4 at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (infratempfossaart)
- Diagram at umich.edu