*Arterial Supply of head and Neck

*Objectives

*By the end of this lecture we should be able to cover ILO:

*- Enlist arterial supply, and venous drainage of the head and neck

*- Recognize the different origins of the right and left common carotid arteries

*- Recognize the major branches of the external carotid artery

*- Learn about the carotid body, and it’s clinical significance

*- Familiarize with the term Jugular venous pressure

Head & Neck

Blood Supply:

Major arteries

Blood supply- Arteries• The arterial supply of the head and neck is derived from the common carotid, vertebral and subclavian arteries.

• The right common carotid arises from the brachiocephalic trunk.

• The left common carotid arises from the aortic arch directly.

Blood supply- Arteries• The common carotid runs upwards in the neck to the upper border of the thyroid cartilage.

• Then it divides into external an internal carotid arteries.

Blood supply- Arteries

I The external carotid artery provides the major blood

supply for the face and mouth.

• The two major terminal branches of the external carotid

artery are the maxillary and the facial arteries.

Blood supply- Arteries

Blood supply- Arteries i. The maxillary artery is the large of the two terminal branches of the external carotid artery.

• It arises behind the angle of the mandible and supplies the deep structures of the face.

Blood supply- ArteriesMajor branches of the maxillary artery:

1. Infraorbital artery2. Posterior superior alveolar artery3. Inferior alveolar artery

1

2

3

Blood supply- Arteries

1. Infraorbital artery gives branches to anterior and middle superior alveolar

arteries. Their distribution to the maxillary incisors and cuspid teeth and to

the maxillary sinuses.

2. Posterior superior alveolar artery. Its distribution is to the maxillary molar

and premolar teeth and gingiva.

3. Inferior alveolar artery. It descends close to the medial surface of the

mandibular ramus to the mandibular foramen. Before entering the foramen, it

gives off the mylohyoid branch which supplies tissues in the floor of the

mouth.

Blood supply- Arteries

ii. The facial

artery is the other major

branch of the external

carotid artery.

• It enters the face at the

inferior border of the

mandible. It passes forward

and upward across the

cheek towards the angle of

the mouth.

• It continues upward along

the side of the nose and

ends at the medial canthus

(inner corner) of the eye.

Blood supply- Arteriesiii. The lingual artery also is a branch of the external carotid artery.

• Its distribution is along the surface of the tongue.

Blood supply- Arteries

II The internal carotid artery has a dilation at its root, the

carotid sinus.

• The internal carotid artery has no branches outside the skull and enters

the skull through the carotid canal.

• Inside the skull the internal carotid artery gives off the ophthalmic

artery which supplies the optic nerve, eye, orbit and scalp.

Head & Neck

Major veins

Head and neck major veins drainageThe venous drainage of the head and neck begins as drainage

of the brain.

• The superior and inferior sagittal sinuses drain to the

transverse then sigmoid sinuses to form the internal jugular

vein.

• The ophthalmic veins from the orbit drain backwards to the

cavernous sinus or forwards to the facial vein.

Head and neck major veins

•The cavernous sinus drains to the pterygoid plexus of veins, through

the superior petrosal sinus to the transverse sinus and through the

inferior petrosal sinus to the internal jugular vein.

1. Facial vein

2. Cavernous sinus

3. Pituitary plexus

4. Superior petrosal sinus

5. Inferior petrosal sinus

6. Internal jugular vein

7. Transverse sinus

8. Confluence of sinuses

Head and neck major veins

Head and neck major veins• The maxillary and superficial temporal veins form the

retromandibular vein behind the angle of the mandible.

Head and neck major veins• The retromandibular vein communicates with the external jugular vein

and the internal jugular vein.• The facial vein drains into the internal jugular vein.• The internal jugular vein empties into the superior veina cava, which

returns blood from the upper portion of the body to right atrium of the

heart.

*References

*Faculty.ksu.edu.sa/Asmaa%20Faden/.../Head%20and%20Neck%20II-.ppt

*Clinically applied Anatomy for Keith Moore