Origin and Extent of External Carotid Artery
Origin: External carotid artery is one of the two terminal branches of common carotid artery. The other terminal branch is internal carotid artery.
Extent: It extends from the level of upper border of lamina of thyroid cartilage (at the level of C4 veretebra) to a point behind the neck of mandible.
Course and Branches of External Carotid Artery
Course
- At its origin (in the carotid triangle) the external carotid artery lies anteromedial to the internal carotid artery.
- Within the carotid triangle it gives five branches ( superior thyroid, lingual, facial, occipital and ascending pharyngeal).
- It leaves the carotid triangle by passing deep to posterior belly of digastric and stylohyoid muscles.
- It then enters the parotid gland where it lies deep to facial nerve and retromandibular vein. Within the parotid gland it give one more branch ( posterior auricular) and finally it terminates at the level of neck of mandible within the parotid gland by dividing into its two terminal branches viz. maxillary and superficial temporal arteries.
Branches of External Carotid Artery
External carotid artery gives eight branches (three from the anterior aspect (1-3), one from the medial aspect (4), two from the posterior aspect(5,6) and two terminal branches (7,8):
- Superior thyroid artery
- Lingual artery
- Facial artery
- Ascending pharyngeal artery
- Occipital artery
- Posterior auricular artery
- Maxillary artery
- Superficial temporal artery
Structures/areas Supplied by Branches of External Carotid Artery
Artery Branches Structures supplied 1 Superior thyroid artery Infrahyoid branch, Sternomastoid branch, Superior laryngeal artery, Cricothyroid branch, Glandular branches Thyroid gland, Sternocleidomastoid,Thyrohyoid and Cricothyroid muscles, Internal structure of larynx abobe vocal folds. 2 Lingual artery Suprahyoid branch, Two dorsal linual arteries, Sublingual branch and Deep lingual artery Tongue, Palatine Tonsil, Soft Palate, Epiglottis, Floor of Mouth, Sublingual Gland Facial artery Cervical part - Ascending palatine artery, Tonsillar branch, Glandular branches and Submental artery.
Facial part -Inferior labial, Superior labial, Lateral nasal and Angular arteryAll structures in the face, Soft palate, Palatine tonsil, Pharyngotympanic tube, Submandibular gland 4 Ascending pharyngeal artery Pharyngeal branches, Meningeal branches, Inferior tympanic branch and Palatine branches Pharyngeal muscles, Palate, Tonsil, Pharyngotympanic (auditory tube), Meninges in posterior cranial fossa 5 Occipital artery Sternomastoid artery, Mastoid artery, Menigeal branches, Auricular branch and Muscular branches. Sternocleidomastoid Muscle, Meninges in Posterior Cranial Fossa, Mastoid Cells, Deep muscles of the back of neck, Posterior Scalp 6 Posterior auricular artery Auricular and Occipital branches Parotid Gland and nearby muscles, Externale ear and Scalp posterior to ear, Middle and Inner ear 7 Maxillary artery It gives total 15 branches. It is divided into three parts. From 1st part-Inferior alveolar, Middle meningeal, Accessory meningeal, Anterior tympanic and Deep auricular arteries.
From 2nd part - Buccal, Deep temporal,Masseteric and Pterygoid branches.
From the 3rd part - Pharyngeal, Artery of pterygoid canal, posterior superior alveolar, Sphenopalatine, palatine and Infraorbital arteries.External acoustic meatus, Tympanic membrane, Temporomandibular joint, Dura mater, Maxillary and mandibular teeth and gingivae, muscles of mastication, Upper and lower jaw, Maxillary sinus,Palate, Roof of pharynx, Nasal cavity 8 Superficial temporal artery Transverse facial arterl, Anterior auricular branch and Middle temporal arteries Parotid Gland and Duct, Masseter and temporalis muscle, Anteriorp part of external ear, Temporal Fossae
good for revision