External carotid

External Carotid Artery

The External Carotid Artery is one of the two main divisions of the Common Carotid Artery, the other being the Internal Carotid Artery. It supplies blood to the face and neck.

Anatomy

The External Carotid Artery begins at the upper border of the thyroid cartilage, and, taking a slightly curved course, passes forward and upward, and then inclines backward to the space behind the neck of the mandible, where it divides into the superficial temporal and maxillary artery within the parotid gland.

Branches

The branches of the External Carotid Artery are:

• Superior thyroid artery
• Ascending pharyngeal artery
• Lingual artery
• Facial artery
• Occipital artery
• Posterior auricular artery
• Maxillary artery
• Superficial temporal artery

Clinical Significance

The External Carotid Artery and its branches are often affected by atherosclerosis, which can lead to stroke and other serious health problems. It can also be involved in carotid artery dissection and carotidynia.

See Also

• Carotid Artery
• Internal Carotid Artery
• Common Carotid Artery

References

External carotid Resources
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