2. Blood Vessels Of The Head And Neck

Question 1

Which blood vessel overlies the SCM?

Answer 1

External jugular vein

Question 2

What branches of right subclavian artery?

Answer 2

Vertebral artery
Thyrocervical artery
Inferior thyroid artery

Question 3

What is the carotid sinus?

Answer 3

Where baroreceptors sit, common carotid bifurcates

Question 4

What is the importance of atherosclerosis in the bifurcation of the common carotid artery?

Answer 4

Common site of atherosclerosis
Causes artery to narrow
Plaque rupture can release an embolus which can travel to the brain
Can cause stroke or TIA
Can cause transient loss of vision

Question 5

What is a carotid sinus massage used for?

Answer 5

Pressure at site of carotid bodies

Increased baroreceptors activity feedback to heart to slow down

Question 6

What is the route of the internal carotid arteries?

Answer 6

Give off no branches in neck

Enters base of skull via carotid canal and supplies intracranial structures

Question 7

What is the route of the vertebral arteries?

Answer 7

Arise from left and right subclavian arteries
Ascend up cervical vertebrae through transverse foramina
Enter base of skull via the foramen magnum

Question 8

Where is the carotid canal found?

Answer 8

Within petrous part of temporal bpmen

Question 9

What passes through the cavernous sinus?

Answer 9

Internal carotid artery
CN III (oculomotor)
CN IV (trochlear)
CN VI (abducens)
2 branches of CN V (trigeminal - ophthalmic and maxillary)

Question 10

What are the important branches of the ophthalmic artery?

Answer 10

Central retinal artery
Supra-orbital artery
Supratrochlear artery

Question 11

What are the branches of the external carotid artery?

Answer 11

Superior thyroid
Ascending pharyngeal 
Lingual
Facial
Occipital 
Posterior auricular 
Maxillary
Superficial temporal

Question 12

What are the symptoms of temporal arteritis?

Answer 12

Frequent severe headaches
Scalp tenderness particularly over temple
Jaw pain while eating/talking
Loss of vision/visual changes

Question 13

What are the layers of the scalp?

Answer 13

Skin
Connective tissue
Aponeurosis
Loose areolar tissue
Periosteum

Question 14

Why does the scalp bleed so much?

Answer 14

Artery walls held open by connective tissue and so can’t constrict
Lost of anastomoses
Lacerations deep enough to involve epicardial aponeurosis of occipitofrontalis can pull cuts open

Question 15

What are the superficial arteries of the face?

Answer 15

Supra orbital 
Supratrochlear
Facial
Superior and inferior labial
Maxillary
Lateral nasal
Angular
Transverse facial

Question 16

What are the key branches of the maxillary artery?

Answer 16

Middle meningeal artery

Sphenopalatine artery

Question 17

What is the path of the middle meningeal artery?

Answer 17

Enters skull via foramen spinosum
Splits into anterior and posterior middle meningeal artery
Anterior passes under area of skull called Pterion

Question 18

How is the scalp drained of blood?

Answer 18

Drain into areas containing venous blood called dural venous sinus
Scalp drains via emissary veins through the skull into dural venous sinuses

Question 19

What veins are involved in the venous drainage of the face?

Answer 19

Supra orbital 
Supratrochlear
Angular
Facial
Common facial
Internal jugular

Question 20

Which veins drain into the cavernous sinus?

Answer 20

Superior ophthalmic vein

Inferior ophthalmic vein

Question 21

What drains into the pterygoid venous plexus?

Answer 21

Deep facial vein

Cavernous sinus

Question 22

What do the superior and inferior sagittal sinuses drain into?

Answer 22

Transverse sinus into the sigmoid sinus, exits through jugular foramen, forms internal jugular vein

Question 23

Which internal jugular vein is used to measure jugular venous pressure and why?

Answer 23

Right as it drains directly into right atrium