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As artérias carótidas são um grupo de artérias que se elevam no pescoço para fornecer sangue oxigenado para o cérebro, face e muitas outras partes da cabeça. Não é o único suprimento de sangue arterial para essas áreas, mas é um dos mais significativos. Lesão, oclusão (bloqueio) ou qualquer ruptura dessas artérias podem ser fatais.
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Artéria carótida comum
A aorta é a grande artéria que transporta o sangue oxigenado para fora do coração e distribui esse sangue por todo o corpo. Duas artérias carótidas surgem direta ou indiretamente do arco aórtico:
- Artéria carótida comum direita
- Artéria carótida comum esquerda
Artéria Carótida Comum Direita
A artéria carótida comum direita não se ramifica diretamente da aorta. O tronco braquiocefálico, que é o primeiro e maior ramo do arco aórtico, divide-se na artéria carótida comum direita e subclávia direita. Essa ramificação do tronco braquiocefálico ocorre à direita da traquéia,ao redor do nível da articulação esternoclavicular direita – onde a clavícula (clavícula) se articula com a parte superior (manúbrio) do esterno (esterno).
Artéria carótida comum esquerda
The left common carotid artery arises directly from the arch of the aorta. It is the second branch and starts just behind the manubrium of the sternum. It passes across the trachea (anterior) and then runs up into the neck to the left of the trachea and behind the left sternoclavicular joint.
Picture from Wikimedia Commons
Carotid Triangle
The right and left common carotid arteries run up the neck on the respective side in the carotid sheath along with the internal jugular vein and vagus nerve. It enters an area that is known as the a carotid triangle. Here it can be easily felt (palpated) or heard with a stethoscope (auscultated) as the carotid pulse.
At the upper part of the carotid triangle, the common carotid artery divides into the internal and external carotid arteries. This bifurcation occurs at the level of the superior border of the thyroid cartilage of the larynx (voice box).
Picture from Wikimedia Commons
There are two important structures that are situated around the branching of the common carotid artery – the carotid sinus and the carotid body. Both these structures perform vital functions in monitoring the blood and are innervated by the carotid sinus nerve which is a branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX), as well as the vagus nerve (CN X).
Carotid Sinus
This is the small balloon like structure at the start of the internal carotid artery. The dilation sometimes extends to the common carotid artery. The carotid sinus is a barometer that monitors arterial blood pressure.
Carotid Body
This is a small oval mass located at the bifurcation of the common carotid artery, between the two branches – internal and external carotid arteries. It is a chemoreceptor that monitors the oxygen levels in the blood.
Internal Carotid Artery
The internal carotid artery is more of a small continuation of the common carotid artery unlike the external carotid artery that diverges off the common carotid. It runs up the neck, enters the carotid canal in the skull and becomes one of the main arterial blood supplies to the brain and eyes.
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There are no branches from the internal carotid artery in the neck region.
Picture from Wikimedia Commons
External Carotid Artery
This is the second terminal branch of the common carotid artery. It gives off many branches along its course which supplies different parts of the face and head. It eventually terminates into the two branches mentioned below.
Branches of the external carotid artery :
- Ascending pharyngeal artery
- Occipital artery
- Posterior auricular artery
- Superior thyroid artery
- Lingual artery
- Maxillary artery (terminal branch)
- Superficial temporal artery (terminal branch)