Common Carotid Artery

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Carotid Sinus
Carotid Body
External Carotid Artery
Internal Carotid Artery

• runs upward through neck

• from sternoclavicular joint 

• embedded in carotid sheath

  • closely related to internal jugular vein and vagus nerve

• gives no branches

• at termination ( upper border of thyroid cartilage)

  • divides into internal and external carotid arteries

  • dilated portion called carotid sinus

  • posteriorly carotid body

Relations

• anteriorlaterally

  • skin

  • superficial fascia

  • platysma

  • investing layer of deep cervical fascia

  • sternocleidomastoid

  • sternohyoid

  • sternothyroid

  • superior belly omohyoid

  • embedded in anterior carotid sheath

    • descendens hypoglossi

    • ansa cervicalis

  • crossed by

    • superior and middle thyroid veins

    • anterior jugular vein

• posteriorly

  • transverse processes of C4-7

  • longus capitis

  • longus colli

  • origin of scalenus anterior

  • sympathetic trunk

  • vertebral vessels

  • inferior thyroid artery

  • (left side) thoracic duct crosses laterally

  • at termination

    • Carotid Body

• Medially

  • larynx

  • pharynx

  • trachea

  • oesophagus

  • lobe of thyroid

  • recurrent laryngeal nerve

• Laterally

  • internal jugular vein

  • (posterolaterally) vagus nerve

[ Carotid Sinus ] [ Carotid Body ] [ External Carotid Artery ] [ Internal Carotid Artery ]

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