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Vocabulary flashcards covering the arteries, veins, and lymphatic structures of the head and neck including origins, courses, branches, and clinical significance.
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Subclavian artery
Major artery supplying upper limbs, neck, and brain; right arises from brachiocephalic trunk, left from aortic arch; becomes axillary artery lateral to anterior scalene.
Parts of subclavian artery
Divided by anterior scalene: 1st part (medial), 2nd part (posterior), 3rd part (lateral).
Internal thoracic artery
Branch of 1st part of subclavian; descends along sternum, gives anterior intercostal arteries; supplies anterior thoracic wall and breasts.
Vertebral artery
Branch of 1st part of subclavian; ascends C6–C1 transverse foramina, enters foramen magnum; supplies brain and spinal cord.
Thyrocervical trunk
Anterosuperior branch of 1st part of subclavian; immediately divides into inferior thyroid, ascending cervical, suprascapular, and cervicodorsal arteries.
Inferior thyroid artery
Terminal branch of thyrocervical trunk; primary visceral artery of neck supplying thyroid, parathyroids, larynx, trachea, esophagus.
Ascending cervical artery
Branch of inferior thyroid; ascends anterior to cervical transverse processes; supplies lateral muscles of upper neck.
Suprascapular artery
Branch of thyrocervical trunk; passes posterior to clavicle to scapula; supplies posterior scapular muscles.
Cervicodorsal (transverse cervical) trunk
Branch of thyrocervical trunk; crosses anterior scalene; supplies brachial plexus vasa nervorum and scapular muscles via superficial cervical and dorsal scapular branches.
Costocervical trunk
Posterior branch of 2nd part of subclavian; divides into superior intercostal and deep cervical arteries.
Superior (supreme) intercostal artery
Branch of costocervical trunk; supplies first two posterior intercostal spaces.
Deep cervical artery
Branch of costocervical trunk; supplies deep posterior neck muscles.
Common carotid artery
Right from brachiocephalic trunk, left from aortic arch; ascends in carotid sheath to superior border of thyroid cartilage where it divides.
Internal carotid artery
Direct continuation of common carotid; no cervical branches; enters skull via carotid canal to supply brain and orbit (anterior cerebral, middle cerebral, ophthalmic branches).
Ophthalmic artery
Branch of internal carotid; passes through optic canal; supplies eyeball and extra-ocular structures.
External carotid artery (ECA)
Branch of common carotid supplying most external head and neck structures; terminates as maxillary and superficial temporal arteries.
Superior thyroid artery
Anterior ECA branch; runs to thyroid gland; gives superior laryngeal artery to larynx.
Lingual artery
Anterior ECA branch; deep to hyoglossus; supplies tongue via deep lingual and sublingual branches.
Facial artery
Anterior ECA branch; courses over mandible to face; supplies submandibular gland and facial structures; gives ascending palatine, tonsillar, submental branches.
Ascending pharyngeal artery
Sole medial ECA branch; ascends deep to internal carotid; supplies pharynx, prevertebral muscles, middle ear, meninges.
Occipital artery
Posterior ECA branch; ascends with digastric posterior belly to posterior scalp.
Posterior auricular artery
Posterior ECA branch; ascends between external acoustic meatus & mastoid; supplies parotid gland, auricle, temporal bone structures.
Superficial temporal artery
Terminal ECA branch; emerges between TMJ and auricle; supplies frontolateral scalp; gives transverse facial artery.
Transverse facial artery
Branch of superficial temporal; passes through parotid over masseter; supplies parotid gland, duct, masseter, facial skin; anastomoses with facial artery.
Maxillary artery
Terminal ECA branch; courses through infratemporal & pterygopalatine fossae; supplies deep face, jaws, nasal cavity, meninges.
Middle meningeal artery
Maxillary branch in infratemporal fossa; enters cranial cavity via foramen spinosum; supplies dura and calvaria; vulnerable at pterion.
Muscular (pterygoid) branches
Maxillary branches to muscles of mastication and buccinator.
Inferior alveolar artery
Maxillary branch; enters mandibular foramen, exits mental foramen as mental artery; supplies mandible, teeth, chin, mylohyoid.
Posterior superior alveolar artery
Maxillary branch; descends on maxilla; supplies maxillary molars & premolars, sinus mucosa, gingiva.
Infraorbital artery
Maxillary branch in pterygopalatine fossa; enters orbit via inferior orbital fissure, emerges infraorbital foramen; supplies inferior orbit and face; gives anterior & middle superior alveolar arteries to upper incisors/canines.
Descending palatine artery
Maxillary branch; descends to palate, dividing into greater and lesser palatine arteries to hard & soft palate mucosa and glands.
Sphenopalatine artery
Terminal branch of maxillary; passes through sphenopalatine foramen; major blood supply to nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses.
Supraorbital & supratrochlear veins
Anterior scalp veins draining to facial vein or cavernous sinus via ophthalmic veins.
Superficial temporal vein
Drains scalp anterior to auricle; joins maxillary vein to form retromandibular vein.
Posterior auricular vein
Drains scalp posterior to auricle; joins posterior branch of retromandibular to form external jugular vein.
Occipital vein
Drains posterior scalp; empties into internal jugular vein.
Facial vein
Begins at medial orbit (ophthalmic veins); descends to join anterior retromandibular vein then IJV; facial infections can spread to cavernous sinus via superior ophthalmic vein.
Anterior jugular vein
Starts at hyoid from submandibular tributaries; descends anterior neck, forms jugular venous arch, empties into EJV or subclavian.
External jugular vein (EJV)
Formed by posterior auricular + posterior retromandibular veins; descends superficial to SCM; drains into subclavian vein.
Retromandibular vein
Formed by superficial temporal and maxillary veins within parotid gland; divides into anterior branch (joins facial) and posterior branch (joins posterior auricular).
Pterygoid venous plexus
Network around pterygoid muscles; connects to facial vein anteriorly, cavernous sinus superiorly, and EJV via maxillary vein; potential infection pathway.
Internal jugular vein (IJV)
Originates at jugular foramen; descends in carotid sheath; joins subclavian to form brachiocephalic vein; has superior and inferior bulbs, latter with bicuspid valve.
Pharyngeal veins
Drain pharyngeal venous plexus into IJV posterior to ramus of mandible.
Lingual veins
Drain tongue; empty into IJV near angle of mandible (often via common trunk with facial vein).
Superior thyroid vein
Drains superior thyroid; empties into IJV just below angle of mandible.
Middle thyroid vein
Drains mid-portion of thyroid; enters lower IJV.
Inferior thyroid veins
Drain inferior thyroid; descend to brachiocephalic veins (not IJV).
Superficial lymphatic vessels
Accompany veins; drain to superficial ring of lymph nodes then to deep cervical nodes.
Deep cervical lymph nodes
Chain along IJV receiving all head & neck lymph; efferents form jugular lymphatic trunk.
Occipital lymph nodes
Superficial nodes over superior nuchal line; drain posterior scalp.
Mastoid (posterior auricular) nodes
Located posterior to external acoustic meatus; drain posterolateral scalp and auricle.
Superficial parotid nodes
Anterior to external auditory meatus; drain lateral face and scalp.
Submandibular lymph nodes
In submandibular triangle; drain upper lip, lateral tongue, cheek, gingiva, nasal cavity, submental nodes.
Submental lymph nodes
In submental triangle; drain central lower lip, floor of mouth, apex of tongue, mandibular incisors.
Jugulodigastric (tonsillar) node
Superior deep cervical node inferior to posterior belly of digastric at IJV; first node to enlarge with tonsillar or pharyngeal infection.
Juguloomohyoid node
Deep cervical node at omohyoid crossing of IJV; sentinel for tongue carcinoma.
Jugular lymphatic trunk
Efferent vessel of deep cervical nodes; drains into thoracic duct (left) or IJV/brachiocephalic vein (right).