Common carotid artery

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The common carotid artery is a paired structure that supplies blood to the head and neck.

Summary

origin: branch of theaorta (left) and brachiocephalic trunk (right)
course: posterior tosternoclavicular joint, lateral tothyroid andtrachea
supply: head andneck
main branches: none (usually)
termination: at thecarotid bifurcation to form theexternal andinternal carotid arteries
key relationships: internal jugular vein andvagus nerve

Anatomy

Origin

Although the left and right common carotid arteries follow the same course through the neck, their origin differs.

On the left, the common carotid arises directly from the aortic arch whereas, on the right, the origin is from the brachiocephaic trunk. The left common carotid artery can be thought of as having two distinct parts: thoracic and cervical. Since the right common carotid arises caudally, it only really has a cervical portion.

In the thoracic section, the left common carotid travels upwards through the superior mediastinum to the level of the left sternoclavicular joint where it is continuous with the cervical portion.

The cervical section of both common carotids follow a similar course. Each vessel passes obliquely upwards from behind the sternoclavicular joint to the level of the upper border of the thyroid cartilage. In the lower neck, the two common carotid arteries are separated from each other by the trachea. However, as the carotids rise in the neck, they diverge come to be separated by the thyroid gland, the larynx and pharynx.

Each common carotid is contained within athe carotid sheath which is derived from all 3 layers of the deep cervical fascia. In addition to containing the common carotid artery, the sheath also comprises the internal jugular vein and vagus nerve: the vein lies lateral to the artery, with the nerve in between the two. At the level of the fourth cervical vertebra, the vessel bifurcates into the external and internal carotids.

~~-<li>~~
~~-origin: branch of the <a href="/articles/aorta">aorta</a> (left) and <a href="/articles/brachiocephalic-artery">brachiocephalic trunk</a> (right)</li>~~
~~-<li>~~
-course: posterior to <a href="/articles/sternoclavicular-joint">sternoclavicular joint</a>, lateral to <a href="/articles/thyroid">thyroid</a> and <a href="/articles/trachea">trachea</a>
~~-</li>~~
~~-<li>~~
~~-supply: <a href="/articles/head">head</a> and <a href="/articles/neck">neck</a>~~
+<li>
+origin: branch of the <a href="/articles/aorta">aorta</a> (left) and <a href="/articles/brachiocephalic-trunk">brachiocephalic trunk</a> (right)</li>
+<li>
+course: posterior to <a href="/articles/sternoclavicular-joint">sternoclavicular joint</a>, lateral to <a href="/articles/thyroid">thyroid</a> and <a href="/articles/trachea">trachea</a>
+</li>
+<li>
+supply: <a href="/articles/head">head</a> and <a href="/articles/neck">neck</a>
~~-main branches: none (usually)</li>~~
~~-<li>~~
-termination: at the <a href="/articles/carotid-bifurcation">carotid bifurcation</a> to form the <a href="/articles/external-carotid-artery-1">external</a> and <a href="/articles/internal-carotid-artery-1">internal carotid arteries</a>
~~-</li>~~
~~-<li>~~
~~-key relationships: <a href="/articles/internal-jugular-vein">internal jugular vein</a> and <a href="/articles/vagus-nerve">vagus nerve</a>~~
~~-</li>~~
-</ul><h4>Anatomy</h4><h5>Origin</h5>Although the left and right common carotid arteries follow the same course through the neck, their origin differs.On the left, the common carotid arises directly from the aortic arch whereas, on the right, the origin is from the <a href="/articles/brachiocephaic-trunk">brachiocephaic trunk</a>. The left common carotid artery can be thought of as having two distinct parts: thoracic and cervical. Since the right common carotid arises caudally, it only really has a cervical portion. In the thoracic section, the left common carotid travels upwards through the superior <a href="/articles/mediastinum">mediastinum</a> to the level of the left <a href="/articles/sternoclavicular-joint">sternoclavicular joint </a>where it is continuous with the cervical portion.The cervical section of both common carotids follow a similar course. Each vessel passes obliquely upwards from behind the sternoclavicular joint to the level of the upper border of the <a href="/articles/thyroid-cartilage">thyroid cartilage</a>. In the lower neck, the two common carotid arteries are separated from each other by the <a href="/articles/trachea">trachea</a>. However, as the carotids rise in the neck, they diverge come to be separated by the <a href="/articles/thyroid-gland">thyroid gland</a>, the <a href="/articles/larynx_(textbook)">larynx</a> and <a href="/articles/pharynx">pharynx</a>.Each common carotid is contained within a sheath which is derived from the deep cervical fascia. In addition to containing the common carotid artery, the sheath also comprises the <a href="/articles/internal-jugular-vein">internal jugular vein</a> and <a href="/articles/vagus-nerve">vagus nerve</a>: the vein lies lateral to the artery, with the nerve in between the two. At the level of the fourth <a href="/articles/cervical-vertebra">cervical vertebra</a>, the vessel bifurcates into the <a href="/articles/external-carotid-artery-1">external</a> and <a href="/articles/internal-carotid-artery-1">internal carotids</a>.
+main branches: none (usually)</li>
+<li>
+termination: at the <a href="/articles/carotid-bifurcation">carotid bifurcation</a> to form the <a href="/articles/external-carotid-artery-1">external</a> and <a href="/articles/internal-carotid-artery-1">internal carotid arteries</a>
+</li>
+<li>
+key relationships: <a href="/articles/internal-jugular-vein">internal jugular vein</a> and <a href="/articles/vagus-nerve">vagus nerve</a>
+</li>
+</ul><h4>Anatomy</h4><h5>Origin</h5>Although the left and right common carotid arteries follow the same course through the neck, their origin differs.On the left, the common carotid arises directly from the aortic arch whereas, on the right, the origin is from the <a href="/articles/brachiocephaic-trunk">brachiocephaic trunk</a>. The left common carotid artery can be thought of as having two distinct parts: thoracic and cervical. Since the right common carotid arises caudally, it only really has a cervical portion.In the thoracic section, the left common carotid travels upwards through the superior <a href="/articles/mediastinum">mediastinum</a> to the level of the left <a href="/articles/sternoclavicular-joint">sternoclavicular joint </a>where it is continuous with the cervical portion.The cervical section of both common carotids follow a similar course. Each vessel passes obliquely upwards from behind the sternoclavicular joint to the level of the upper border of the <a title="thyroid cartilage" href="/articles/thyroid-cartilage">thyroid cartilage</a>. In the lower neck, the two common carotid arteries are separated from each other by the <a href="/articles/trachea">trachea</a>. However, as the carotids rise in the neck, they diverge come to be separated by the <a href="/articles/thyroid-gland">thyroid gland</a>, the <a title="Larynx" href="/articles/larynx">larynx</a> and <a title="pharynx" href="/articles/pharynx">pharynx</a>.Each common carotid is contained within the <a title="Carotid space" href="/articles/carotid-space">carotid sheath</a> which is derived from all 3 layers of the <a title="Deep cervical fascia" href="/articles/deep-cervical-fascia">deep cervical fascia</a>. In addition to containing the common carotid artery, the sheath also comprises the <a href="/articles/internal-jugular-vein">internal jugular vein</a> and <a href="/articles/vagus-nerve">vagus nerve</a>: the vein lies lateral to the artery, with the nerve in between the two. At the level of the fourth <a href="/articles/cervical-vertebra">cervical vertebra</a>, the vessel bifurcates into the <a href="/articles/external-carotid-artery-1">external</a> and <a href="/articles/internal-carotid-artery-1">internal carotids</a>.

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