Blood Vessels of the Head and Neck

• Ascending Aorta 

• Carries blood out of the heart

• Aortic arch

• Makes a “U” turn

• Brachiocephalic trunk 

• First major branch off the aortic arch

• Carries blood to the right side of the head and right arm

• RIGHT Common carotid artery

• Carry blood to the head

• LEFT Common carotid artery

• Carry blood to the head

• External carotid artery

• Branched from Common Carotid Artery

• Supply most tissues of the head except the brain and orbit 

• Internal carotid artery

• Branched from Common Carotid Artery

• Supplies the orbits and more than 80% of the brain

• Facial artery 

• Branches off the External Carotid Artery 

• Supplies to the skin and muscles of the face 

• Occipital artery

• Branches off the External Carotid Artery

• Supplies the posterior scalp 

• Maxillary artery

• Branches off the External Carotid Artery

• Supplies the upper and lower jaw 

• Superficial temporal artery

• Terminal branch of the External Carotid Artery

• Takes blood to the parotid salivary gland and most of the scalp

• Ophthalmic artery 

• Branching from the Internal Carotid Artery

• Supplies the orbit 

• Subclavian arteries

• Carry blood toward the right and left arms

• Vertebral arteries

• Branch from the Subclavian Arteries 

• Carry blood up toward the brain 

• Basilar artery

• Forms where the Vertebral Arteries merge after entering the skull through the foramen magnum 

• Internal jugular veins

• From head to brachiocephalic vein

• External jugular veins

• Merge with the subclavian vein

• Subclavian veins

• From arm to Brachiocephalic vein

• Vertebral veins

• Merge with the Brachiocephalic Vein

• Brachiocephalic vein

• Receive blood from both the head and arm

• Superior vena cava

• Formed when the two Brachiocephalic Veins merge 

• Empties to the right atrium