VASCULAR

SUPPLY
OF THE HEAD & NECK
vascular system
 vascular supply
The Vascular Supply refers to the system of blood vessels that circulate blood
throughout the body, supplying oxygen and nutrients to tissues.

Arteries: Carry oxygenated blood, thick and elastic walls, contain smooth muscle
layers, branch into smaller vessels, elastic arteries and muscular arteries.

Two arterial tracts supply blood to the head and neck:

The carotid system : The carotid system delivers blood to the upper neck and the
head.
The subclavian system: The subclavian system provides blood to the lower neck,
deep neck, inside of the cranium, shoulder, upper limb, and thorax.
 MAIN
ARTERIES
OF THE HEAD & NECK
CAROTID
system
CAROTID SYSTEM

The Carotid System encompasses the

paired common carotid arteries. These
arteries originate uniquely in the neck or
chest. The Common Carotid Artery,
arising from the aortic arch (or
brachiocephalic artery on the right
side), is distinct for lacking branches
except for its two terminal branches.
 COMMON CAROTID
ARTERY

Origin: Arises from the aortic arch in the

superior mediastinum.

Right Carotid Artery: Emerges from the

brachiocephalic artery behind the right
sternoclavicular joint.

Left Carotid Artery: Originates from the

aortic arch in the superior mediastinum.

Branches: Common carotid has no

branches, only two terminal branches.
 CAROTID SINUS

Location: Localized dilation in the

terminal part of the common carotid
artery.

Function: Acts as a reflex pressorecepto

(baroreceptor) mechanism.

Response: Increased blood pressure

leads to a slowed heart rate and
arteriole vasodilation.
 CAROTID BODY
Location: Situated behind the bifurcation
point of the common carotid artery or at
the angle of bifurcation.
Innervation: Glossopharyngeal nerve
(possibly supplemented by the vagus
nerve).
Function: Acts as a chemoreceptor,
responding to excess carbon dioxide and
reduced oxygen tension in the blood.
Response: Stimulus triggers increased
blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory
movements.
COMMON CAROTID ARTERY RELATIONS
ANTEROLATERALLY
Skin, fascia, the sternocleidomastoid, the sternohyoid, the
sternothyroid, and the superior belly of the omohyoid.

POSTERIORLY
Transverse process of the lower four cervical vertebrae, the
prevertebral muscles, and the sympathetic trunk vertebral vessels
in the lower part of the neck.

MEDIALLY
The larynx and pharynx and, below these, the trachea and
esophagus; lobe of the thyroid gland also lies medially

LATERALLY
Internal jugular vein and, posterolaterally, the vagus nerve
EXTERNAL
CAROTID ARTERY
EXTERNAL CAROTID ARTERY

One of the terminal branches of

common carotid artery.

Responsible for the blood supply in

the Neck, Face, and Scalp

Also supplies the Tongue and

Maxilla
 EXTERNAL CAROTID ARTERY

Begins at the level of the upper border of the thyroid

cartilage

Terminates the substance of the parotid gland, posterior

to the neck of the mandible
 Superior Thyroid Artery
Curved downward to the upper pole of Thyroid Gland.

BRANCHES OF Gives rise to the superior laryngeal artery and descends in

company with the external laryngeal nerve, which supplies

THE EXTERNAL
the cricothyroid muscle.

CAROTID Ascending Pharyngeal Artery

Ascends vertically along and supplies the pharyngeal

ARTERY
wall

Lingual Artery
Loops upwards and forward and supplies the tongue
 Facial Artery
Close to the outer surface of the pharynx and tonsil. It
ascends close to anterior border of Masseter muscle.

BRANCHES OF
Artery continues lateral corner of mouth and medial angle
of the eye. Supplies the tonsil (via tonsillar branch),

THE EXTERNAL
submandibular salivary gland, and the muscles and
skin of face. Both lingual and facial arteries commonly
arise from a common trunk, called Linguofacial Trunk.

CAROTID
Occipital Artery
ARTERY Supplies the back of Scalp

Posterior Auricular Artery

Also supplies the back of Scalp
 Superficial Temporal Artery
The SMALLER terminal branch of external carotid artery,
ascends over the zygomatic arch. It accompanies the

BRANCHES OF
auriculotemporal nerve and supplies the scalp.

THE EXTERNAL Maxillary Artery

The LARGER terminal branch of the external carotid artery.

CAROTID
Its branches supply the upper and lower jaws, the
mastication muscles, the nose, the palate, and the

ARTERY
meninges inside the skull.

Middle Meningeal Artery

Branches off the maxillary artery, enters skull through
foramen spinosum, runs laterally, and is prone to damage
after a blow to the head
Middle Meningeal Artery
INTERNAL
CAROTID ARTERY
INTERNAL CAROTID ARTERY

COMMON
CAROTID ARTERY
Begins at the bifurcation of the
common artery at the level of the
thyroid cartilage.
INTERNAL CAROTID ARTERY

Supplies the brain, the eye,

the forehead, and the part of
the nose.
INTERNAL CAROTID ARTERY

Artery ascends in the neck embedded in

the carotid sheath with the internal
jugular vein and vagus nerve.
 Ophthalmic Artery
Arising from the internal carotid artery as it emerges from

BRANCHES OF
the cavernous sinus, it passes forward into the orbital
cavity through the optic canal and distributes throughout

THE INTERNAL
the orbit. It gives off the central artery of the retina,
which enters the optic nerve and runs forward to enter the
eyeball. The central artery is an end artery and the only

CAROTID
blood supply to the retina.

ARTERY Posterior Communicating Artery

This artery runs posteriorly to join the posterior cerebral
artery
Ophthalmic
Artery
 Posterior
Communicating
Artery
BRANCHES OF Anterior Cerebral Artery
THE INTERNAL This is a terminal branch of the internal carotid artery. It

CAROTID
passes forward between the cerebral hemispheres and
then winds around the corpus callosum of the brain to
supply the medial and the superolateral surfaces of

ARTERY the cerebral hemisphere. It is joined to the artery of the

opposite side by the anterior communicating artery.
 Anterior
Cerebral Artery
 Middle Cerebral Artery

BRANCHES OF
This is the larger terminal branch of the internal carotid
artery, and it runs laterally in the lateral cerebral sulcus of

THE INTERNAL
the brain. It supplies the entire lateral surface of the
cerebral hemisphere except the narrow strip along the
superolateral margin (which is supplied by the anterior

CAROTID
cerebral artery) and the occipital pole and inferolateral
surface of the hemisphere (both of which are supplied by

ARTERY
the posterior cerebral artery). The middle cerebral artery
thus supplies all the motor areas of the cerebral cortex
except the leg area. It also gives off central branches
that supply central masses of gray matter and the
internal capsule of the brain.
Middle Cerebral
Artery
BRANCHES OF Cerebral Arterial Circle
(Circle of Willis)

THE INTERNAL The cerebral arterial circle is a roughly circular network

of arteries ringing the sella turcica at the base of the

CAROTID
brain. It is formed by anastomoses between branches of
the two internal carotid arteries and the two vertebral

ARTERY
arteries.
 Cerebral
Arterial Circle
(Circle of Willis)
SUBCLAVIAN SYSTEM
SUBCLAVIAN system

Consists of the paired subclavian

arteries and their branches.
Provides blood to the lower neck,
deep neck, inside of the cranium,
shoulder, upper limb and thorax.
Have different origins on the right
and left side.
SUBCLAVIAN ARTERIES
RIGHT SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY
Arises from brachiocephalic artery, behind the right
sternoclavicular joint.
Arches upward laterally over the pleura and through the
interscalene triangle between the scalenus anterior and
medius muscles.
Becomes the axillary artery at the outer border of the first
rib.

LEFT SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY

Originates directly from the aortic arch
Arches upward and laterally over the pleura and through the
interscalene triangle between the scalenus anterior and medius
muscles.
Becomes the axillary artery at the outer border of the first rib.
 PARTS OF
SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY
PARTS OF
SUBCLAVIAN
ARTERY
FIRST PART
S ECOND PART
THIRD PART
 FIRST PART OF SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY

Gives off the vertebral artery, the thyrocervical

trunk, and the internal thoracic artery.
Vertebral artery ascends in the neck through
the foramina in the transverse processes of the
upper six cervical vertebrae, giving off spinal
and muscular branches along its way.
FIRST PART OF SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY

THYROCERVICAL TRUNK
Is a short trunk that gives off three terminal branches: inferior
thyroid artery, transverse cervical artery, and suprascapular
artery.

INFERIOR THYROID ARTERY

Ascends to the posterior surface of the thyroid gland, where it
is closely related to the recurrent laryngeal nerve. It supplies
the thyroid and the inferior parathyroid glands.
FIRST PART OF SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY
TRANSVERSE CERVICAL ARTERY
Is a small branch that crosses the brachial plexus and runs to
the trapezius muscle.

SUPRASCAPULAR ARTERY
Runs laterally over the brachial plexus and follows the
suprascapular nerve onto the back of the scapula.

INTERNAL THORACIC ARTERY

Descends into the thorax behind the first costal cartilage and
in front of the pleura. It descends vertically one fingerbreadth
lateral to the sternum. In the sixth intercostal space, it divides
into the superior epigastric and the musculophrenic arteries.
 SECOND PART OF
SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY

COSTOCERVICAL TRUNK
The only branch off the second part. It runs backward over the
dome of the pleura and divides into the superior intercostal
artery, which supplies the first and the second intercoastal
spaces, and the deep cervical artery, which supplies the deep
muscles of the neck.
 THIRD PART OF
SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY

Extends from the lateral border of the scalenus anterior muscle

across the posterior triangle of the neck to the lateral border
of the first rib, where it becomes the axillary artery. In the root
of the neck, it is closely related to the nerves of the brachial
plexus.

No branches
Thank
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