arteries of the head and neck

what spinal level does the common carotid artery bifurcate?

C4

what does the common carotid bifurcate into?

internal and external carotid arteries

what is located at the bifurcation?

carotid sinus

what are the branches of the external carotid artery?

Some Anatomists Like Freaking Out Poor Medical Students

Superior thyroid artery

Ascending pharyngeal artery

Lingual artery

Facial artery

Occipital artery

Posterior auricular artery

Maxillary artery

Superficial temporal artery

what are the branches of the internal carotid artery?

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Anterior choroidal artery

Vidian artery

Inferolateral trunk

Posterior communicating artery

Superior hypophyseal artery

Caroticotympanic artery

Ophthalmic artery

Meningohypophyseal trunk

Middle cerebral artery

Anterior cerebral artery

does the ICA supply anything in the neck?

no - only the brain, eyes and forehead

where does the ICA enter the skull?

carotid canal in the temporal bone

where do the vertebral arteries arise from?

subclavian arteries

where do the vertebral arteries pass through initally?

transverse process of cervical vertebrae - aka foramen transversium

where do the vertebral arteries enter the skull?

foramen magnum

what do the vertebral arteries converge to form?

basilar artery

what do the vertebral arteries supply?

- upper spinal cord

- brainstem

- cerebellum

- posterior cerebrum

what are the branches of the vertebral arteries?

anterior spinal

posterior spinal

posterior inferior cerebellar artery (pica)