Carotid artery

Question 1

What is the origin of the carotid artery?

Answer 1

Right common carotid artery- branch of the BRANCHIOCEPHALIC TRUNK

Left common carotid artery- branch from the AORTA

Question 2

Where does the common carotid artery divide into the external and internal carotid arteries?

Answer 2

Art the upper border of the THYROID CARTILAGE

Question 3

Where is the internal carotid artery in relativity to the external carotid artery?

Answer 3

Posterior to the external and tends to lie a little lateral to it

Question 4

Where is the carotid bulb?

Answer 4

at the origin of the internal carotid artery

-bulge in the common carotid artery just before it splits into internal and external

Question 5

What other things may also arise from the external carotid artery?

Answer 5

superior thyroid artery
ascending Pharyngeal artery
lingual arteries
( or above/around the level of the angle of the mandible)

Question 6

How do you find the carotid pulse?

Answer 6

1- ask patient to turn their head
2-Place your index and middle finger between the medial border of the SCM and the lateral border of the thyroid cartilage to find the pulse
3-Ask patient to face forward again whilst actually measure the pulse

Question 7

Why do you only measure the pulse on one side of the neck at a time?

Answer 7

doing it at the same time would lead to occlusion of both arteries which would lead to the patient fainting