Arteries of Head and Neck

Anupa Sivakumar
Lecturer ,Human biology division
Cluster 3
Ext: 1263
DID : +603 2731 7537
Learning outcomes

Enlist the major arteries supplying head and neck.

How common carotid arteries take origin.
Enlist important relations of common carotid arteries.
Describe the relations and branches of external carotid artery.
Describe the relations and branches of subclavian artery.
Describe the vertebral artery
Enlist the major veins supplying head and neck.
Discuss the formation of external and internal jugular veins.
Describe the tributaries of external and internal jugular veins
Arteries of Head & Neck

The carotid system of arteries forms the major arterial trunk of

head and neck.

Carotid system: Common Carotid Artery

External Carotid Artery Internal Carotid Artery

COMMON CAROTID ARTERIES

Right Common Carotid Artery:

Arises from brachiocephalic artery

(Behind right sternoclavicular joint)

Left Common Carotid Artery:

Arises from Arch of Aorta

Runs upwards in the neck from sternoclavicular joint to upper border of thyroid cartilage

Level of upper border of lamina of thyroid cartilage (C3 & C4) - divides into external and internal
carotid arteries in the carotid triangle.
External carotid artery

Begins at the level of upper border of thyroid cartilage to a point behind the neck of the
mandible.
Lies more anterior and medial to the internal carotid artery
AREA SUPPLIED: Supplies the face, scalp, floor of the mouth, nasal cavities and deep
structures of neck

Terminates in the substance of the parotid gland behind the neck of mandible by
dividing into:
Superficial temporal artery

Maxillary artery
Branches of External Carotid Artery
One From medial side: Ascending pharyngeal
artery

Three from anterior side: Superior thyroid artery,

lingual artery ( toungues)
Facial artery.

Two from posterior side: Occipital artery,

Posterior auricular artery

Two terminal branches : Superficial temporal artery,

Maxillary artery
 Superficial and deep relations of external carotid artery

Stylogloss
us

Stylopharyngeus
Interval between the internal and external carotid IX nerve
arteries in the upper part of the neck is occupied by
the following structures.
A part of parotid gland
Styloid process with styloglossus and
stylopharyngeus
Glossopharyngeal and pharyngeal branch of the
vagus nerve
Lingual artery
Principal artery of tongue.
Branches :
- Suprahyoid artery
- Dorsal lingual artery
- Sublingual artery.
Facial artery :
Branches of facial
artery
Cervical part
- Ascending palatine
artery
- Tonsillar artery
- Glandular artery
- Submental artery
Facial part
- Inferior labial artery
- Superior labial artery
- Lateral nasal artery
Maxillary artery
Largest terminal branch of external carotid artery
It arises from behind the neck of mandible within the substances of parotid
gland.
The course of the artery is divided into three parts by the lower head of the
lateral pterygoid muscle.
Supplies the upper jaw, nose, paranasal sinuses and meninges of middle cranial fossa
 Branches of maxillary artery
First part
1. Deep auricular artery
2. Anterior tympanic
artery
3. Middle meningeal
artery
4. Accessory meningeal
artery
5. Inferior alveolar artery
Second part Third part
1. Deep temporal 1. Posterior superior
2. Pterygoid alveolar artery
branches 2. infra orbital artery
3. Masseteric 3. Greater palatine
artery artery
4. Buccal artery 4. pharyngeal artery
5. Artery of the
pterygoid canal
6. Spheno- palatine
artery
Internal carotid artery
Arises from the bifurcation of the common carotid,
At the level of the upper border of thyroid cartilage opposite the
disc between c3 and c4 vertebrae.
At the commencement the artery dilates to form the carotid sinus
( baro receptor).
the artery enters through the carotid canal in the petrous part of
temporal bone and ends in middle cranial fossa by dividing into
anterior and middle cerebral arteries.
Course of the artery is divided into four parts.
1. Cervical
2. Petrous
3. Cavernous
4. Cerebral.
subclavian artery
The right subclavian artery arises from the brachiocephalic trunk.
The left subclavian artery arises from the arch of aorta.
Each artery arches over the cervical pleura and the apex of the lung and is
subdivided into three parts by scalenus anterior muscle.
 Vertebral artery
arises from the upper surface of the first part of subclavian artery.
The artery passes upward through the foramina transversaria of upper six cervical ribs .
Winds backwards around the lateral mass of atlas and enters the cranial cavity through the
foramen magnum.
At the lower of the pons it unites with the similar artery of the opposite side to form basilar artery.
Therefore each vertebral artery is subdivided into 4 parts.
First part cervical part
Second part vertebral part
Third part sub-occipital part
Fourth part intracranial part.
 Venous drainage of head and neck
Veins of Brain
Venous Sinuses
Veins of Face and Neck
Veins of Face and Neck

Facial vein
Superficial temporal vein
Maxillary vein
Retromandibular vein
External jugular vein
Anterior jugular vein
Internal jugular vein
Subclavian vein
 Facial vein
Formed at medial angle of eye by
the union of supraorbital and supratrochlear veins.
It joins anterior division of retromandibular vein

Superficial temporal vein

Formed on the side of the scalp. Enters parotid gland.
It joins maxillary vein to form Retromandibular vein

Maxillary vein
Formed in the Infratemporal fossa from the Pterygoid venous
plexus.
It joins superficial temporal vein to form Retromandibular
vein.

Retromandibular vein
The maxillary and superficial temporal veins join to form the
retromandibular vein behind the angle of the mandible.
Leaving parotid gland divides into anterior branch and posterior branch.
Anterior branch joins facial vein.
Posterior branch joins posterior auricular vein to form external jugular
vein.
Internal jugular vein
Receives blood from brain, face and neck.
Continuation of sigmoid sinus and leave the skull from jugular foramen.
Ends by joining subclavian vein to form brachiocephalic vein.

Tributaries:
Facial vein
Pharyngeal vein
Lingual vein
Superior thyroid vein
Middle thyroid vein
External jugular vein
Formed behind the angle of jaw by the union of Posterior branch of retromandibular vein
with posterior auricular vein.
It drains into subclavian vein
Tributaries:
Posterior external jugular
Transverse cervical
Suprascapular
Anterior jugular
Subclavian vein
Continuation of axillary vein at the outer border
of 1st rib.
Joins internal jugular vein to form
brachiocephalic vein.
Tributaries:
External jugular vein