Arteries of the Neck

Question 1

What does the brachiocephalic trunk bifurcate into? What is the anatomical landmark for this bifurcation point?

Answer 1

Brachiocephalic trunk bifurcates into right subclavian and right common carotid at the level of the right sternoclavicular joint

Question 2

Describe the positions of the common carotid arteries as they ascend, relative to the trachea and oesophagus

Answer 2

Right and left common carotid arteries ascend lateral to trachea and oesophagus

Question 3

What do the common carotid arteries bifurcate into? What is the anatomical landmark for the bifurcation of the common carotid arteries?

Answer 3

Common carotid arteries bifurcate into external and internal carotid arteries at the level of the superior margin of the thyroid cartilage (C4), in the carotid triangle

Question 4

What is the carotid sinus? How is information about BP transmitted to the brain?

Answer 4

. Area of dilation in common and internal carotid arteries, where there are baroreceptors to detect BP
. Relayed to brain via the glossopharyngeal nerve

Question 5

Describe the relative positions of the internal and external carotid arteries

Answer 5

Positioned counterintuitively, so internal carotid positioned where you’d think the external would be, and vice versa

Question 6

What is the carotid body?

Answer 6

. Cluster of nerve cells near carotid body

. Act as peripheral chemoreceptors to detect oxygen content of blood

Question 7

What problems can occur at the carotid sinus and why is this? What are the potential consequences of this?

Answer 7

. Widening of arteries at carotid sinus means there is turbulent blood flow
. More likely for atheromas to form here (especially in internal carotid artery)
. Thickening of tunica intima reduces blood flow to brain- can cause headache, dizziness, even stroke

Question 8

What does the external carotid artery supply?

Answer 8

. Terminates in parotid gland (salivary gland) by dividing into superficial temporal artery and maxillary artery
. Superficial temporal supplies superficial face
. Maxillary supplies deep face

Question 9

What does the internal carotid artery supply?

Answer 9

Internal carotid artery supplies anterior part of brain, eyes, forehead, and nose

Question 10

The facial, superficial temporal, and maxillary arteries are branches of the external carotid artery. What do each of these branches supply?

Answer 10

. Facial and superficial arteries- Superficial areas of the face
. Maxillary artery- Deep structures of face

Question 11

Describe the path of the vertebral arteries.

Answer 11

. Branches from subclavian artery, medial to anterior scalene muscle
. Ascends up posterior side of neck through transverse foramina of cervical vertebrae
. Enter cranial cavity and converge to give rise to basilar arteries, which supply the brain

Question 12

Where does the thyrocervical trunk branch from?

Answer 12

Subclavian artery

Question 13

Name the branches of the thyrocervical trunk

Answer 13

Inferior thyroid (ascending cervical branches from here), transverse cervical, suprascapular

Question 14

What does the inferior thyroid artery supply?

Answer 14

Thyroid gland

Question 15

What does the ascending cervical artery supply?

Answer 15

Posterior prevertebral muscles

Question 16

What does the transverse cervical artery supply?

Answer 16

Trapezius and rhomboids

Question 17

What does the suprascapular artery supply?

Answer 17

Posterior shoulder area

Question 18

What is ‘special’ about the Thyroidea ima

Answer 18

Only present in some people

Question 19

Describe the path of the Thyroidea ima

Answer 19

Arises from brachiocephalic trunk or aortic arch, ascends anteriorly to trachea to supply thyroid gland and sometimes trachea

Question 20

Why is it important to be aware of the Thyroidea ima?

Answer 20

Need to check if it is present when doing surgery because it’s quite small and tricky to see, but if you cut it there can be heavy bleeding due to the high pressure from the aorta/brachiocephalic trunk

Question 21

Where does the costal cervical artery branch from? What does it give rise to?

Answer 21

Arises from back part of subclavian artery, branches to give deep cervical artery and superior intercostal artery

Question 22

Describe the path of the external carotid artery

Answer 22

. Branches from common carotid
. Ascends neck between mandible and ear lobe
. Terminates in parotid gland (salivary gland) by dividing into superficial temporal artery and maxillary artery, supplying superficial and deep areas of face