Branches of the external carotid artery in man

The human body is pierced with blood vessels from feet to head. They allow the body to function normally and carry nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. There are among them and such vessels, which play a vital role for man.

Carotid artery

Each of us at least once in life damaged some part of the body, for example, when the cut of a finger from it, blood began to flow. Stop such bleeding is not difficult, because the diameter of the vessel is quite small and the pressure in it is small. In addition, in human blood there are platelets that clog the cut, and after a couple of minutes the blood itself stops flowing.

But this does not always happen: in the human body there are vessels that differ both in their large diameter and the blood pressure that moves along them. Usually they are the most important in the human body, and their damage and lack of medical care can lead to serious blood loss. One of these is the carotid artery.

This blood vessel is a paired artery that begins in the chest and branches out, heading toward the head. Because of this, its main functions can be considered blood supply to the brain, eyes and other parts of the human head.

More on the structure of the carotid artery and its functions

The carotid artery has two branches: the right and left. The first originates in the region of the humerus trunk. The left artery, in turn, begins in the region of the aortic arch. Due to such anatomical features, the left artery is a couple of centimeters longer than the right one. Then it vertically moves up, located in the neck, then branched and located in different parts of the head.

The main function of this artery is the blood supply to the brain. This can occur only when this vessel has no pathologies and various diseases that interfere with normal blood circulation. When there is a blockage of the arteries, a person, most likely, will need surgery.

External carotid artery

This type of artery is considered one of the main components of one common trunk of the carotid artery. It starts from a single artery, is at the level of a sleepy triangle, one of its parts. First, it passes closer to the middle of the artery, located inside, and then significantly lateral with respect to it.

Initially, this artery is covered with a muscle, and if you consider its location in the region of the carotid triangle, you can observe it under the subcutaneous muscle located in the neck. On this artery does not end, its division occurs. In the region of the lower jaw, approximately at the level of the neck, the first branches of the external carotid artery appear. They are represented by the maxillary and superficial temporal artery. Then there are other branches of the external carotid artery, they diverge in different directions in the corresponding directions. Therefore, the anterior, middle and posterior branches of the external carotid artery are defined here. Each of them is responsible for the normal operation of certain parts of the human body, supplying them with nutrients and oxygen.

Front group

It is these areas, related to the external branch of the carotid trunk, which include rather impressive vessels. The peculiarity of this group is that it allows blood to flow to organs located in the face and throat area. Therefore, their functioning depends on the functioning of the larynx, face, tongue, thyroid. From the common vessel, which represents the branches of the external carotid artery, three major vessels depart, quite large in size. Then there is another division into smaller vessels, this differentiation allows you to supply blood to all the necessary parts of the body.

The anterior group of branches of the external carotid artery includes three main vessels, each of which has a certain function and location.

Upper thyroid artery

Its branch occurs at the level of the horns at the very beginning of the hyoid bone. This arrangement allows this artery to supply blood to the thyroid gland and, of course, parathyroid. Also, thanks to this artery, blood flows to the larynx, passing through the upper artery in the region of the mastoid muscle.

After that, like most of the blood vessels in the human body, it separates again. And the upper thyroid artery appears sublingual and perstneschitovidnaya branches. One of them, namely the sublingual, becomes the main vessel that nourishes the nearest muscles, and the hyoid bone.

As for the transversely branching branch, it allows the blood to flow to the corresponding muscle. After this, it is connected to a similar vessel on the other side.

The upper laryngeal artery allows you to feed blood to the epiglottis and larynx. With its help, it seems possible to enrich the oxygen shells of these organs, as well as located around the muscles.

Language artery

This vessel, like the previous ones, is a component of the branch of the external carotid artery, a branch is slightly higher than one of the vessels, in particular, the thyroid. This occurs in the area of the hyoid bone, then it moves and gradually reaches the area of the Pirogov triangle. Then the linguistic artery goes to the point, because of which it received its name, that is, up to the language itself, it is located below. Although. In comparison with other arteries, the linguistic is not so great, it also has its smaller vessels.

For example, the deep artery of the tongue looks like a large branch of the linguistic artery. Its location is quite interesting: first it rises up and reaches the so-called base of the tongue. Then it continues to move along it and reaches the tip itself. This vessel surrounds several muscles, in particular, lingual and lower longitudinal.

In addition, there is a sublingual branch, its main function is the blood supply to the hyoid bone. Accordingly, and it is located on the upper edge of this bone. The sublingual artery is located in the area of the hyoid muscle, directly above it. Its functional features consist in the blood supply to the part of the oral cavity, thanks to which oxygen is supplied to all components of the human oral cavity. This number includes the oral mucosa, salivary glands and even the gum. Dorsal branches have a peculiar arrangement, so they can be observed in the area of one of the muscles, in this case sublingual.

Facial artery

This variety of the vessel branches into the area of the corner of the lower jaw, and then goes through the gland located near, that is, the submandibular jaw. This vessel is not for nothing called the facial artery, since, starting from the neck, it goes through the area of the lower jaw, gradually moving to the face area. Then goes forward and moves to the top. The tips of the vessels end in the area of the corners of the mouth, and the other branch reaches the eyes. In addition, the artery itself includes additional vessels, respectively, and there are other branches.

Despite the fact that basically there are branches of the external carotid artery on the neck, the smaller arteries included in the group are located in the face and partially the person's mouth. The amygdala branch is directed to the palatine tonsil, and from the branching it goes across the sky. She also goes to the base of the tongue, reaching there along the wall of the human mouth.

As for the palatine artery, its location is directly from the very basis of the facial artery, which is part of the group called the anterior branches of the external carotid artery. The ascending palatine artery in the region of throat, in particular, its mucosa and, in addition, the tonsil of the palatine terminates. The last branches also reach the pipes responsible for normal hearing.

The chin artery goes through the hyoid muscle, if to specify more precisely, through the outer surface of this muscle. The endings of the vessel move to the area of the chin and certain neck muscles.

Back group

The posterior branch of the external carotid artery, like the previous branches, has its branches of vessels. From it go the ear, and it is in this place that the occipital artery originates. With their help blood supply to the visible inner part of the ear occurs. In addition, due to these arteries, blood flows to the muscles of the neck located behind, in the nape of the neck, as well as the canal of the facial nerve. A distinctive feature of this branch is that it has the property of penetrating into the brain envelope.

Occipital artery

Separates separately, is almost as high as the facial. Its location - in the area of the digastric muscle, is under it, after which it moves to the furrow near the temple. Further, its path passes under the skin, where it is located, the back of the head is involved, and the branching takes place in the epidermis of the occipital region.

Having gone all this way, they unite with the same branches that are coming from the opposite side. There is also a connection with other branches, some vessels of the spinal column.

The occipital artery is divided into several smaller vessels, respectively, the ear, descending, mastoid branches appear. The first goes straight to the visible inner part of the person's ear, and after passing it, it becomes one with the other branches of the posterior ear artery. The descending reaches the most secret corners, as it goes to that area of the neck, which is furthest from the rest. As for the mastoid, it lies in the human brain, in the corresponding canals there.

Posterior ear artery

The branches of the external and internal carotid arteries play an important role in the human body, as well as their smallest branches. For example, this vessel is directed obliquely backward, it comes from the digastric muscle, then spreads like this: it passes from the edge of the posterior abdomen. It is also divided into three smaller branches. One of these vessels is the occipital branch.

Its location corresponds to the base of the mastoid process, allows blood to enter the skin located in the occipital region. The ear branch has paved its way along the back part in the ear region and allows blood to be provided with visible parts of the inner part of the person's ear. The arterioscleroid artery plays an equally important role: the facial nerve depends largely on its normal functioning, because it is to it that the blood arrives, the location partly corresponds to the temporal bone.

Middle group

The average group of branches of the external carotid artery has a smaller number of branches than the previous ones. In fact, this group includes one artery, which then branches into a number of smaller vessels, but its significance does not diminish.

The medial branches of the external carotid artery include a pharyngeal ascending artery and other vessels that enable them to supply nutrients, and most importantly oxygen, those muscles that are located on the face, that is, nourish the lips, cheeks, etc.

Ascending pharyngeal artery

After its branch, this artery takes a direction towards the pharynx and passes along its wall. The branching of this vessel occurs in such a way that the posterior meningeal artery goes in the direction of the drum part and spreads further through the tympanic tubule, located in one of its cavities, in this case the lower one.

Finite branches

The terminal branches of the external carotid artery are a small number of blood vessels that are part of the carotid artery. This branch has two arteries, namely the maxillary and superficial-temporal. They differ in size, and other vessels that drain away from them, allow the transfer of blood to distant parts of the body.

Superficial temporal artery

This vessel is considered an extension of the external carotid artery. Its passage corresponds to the visible surface of the inner part of the ear, namely its anterior wall, the artery under the skin. The movement goes up and heads toward the temple area. If it is necessary to feel the pulsation, indicate the branches of the external carotid artery in this place. Here it is quite easy to determine the beat of the blood flow.

Then another division occurs: a parietal, as well as a frontal artery appears. This happens at the level of the corner of the eye, located near the temporal region. These arteries carry the blood to the forehead, crown, and supracranial muscle.

The terminal branches of the external carotid artery include a surface vessel, which is divided into five smaller ones. One of these is the transverse facial artery. This blood vessel is located in the region of the parotid gland, its duct. Then it moves to the side of the cheek and is located in the skin. Vessels spread in the infraorbital region and reach a different kind of muscle tissue - mimic.

Skulohloznichnaya allows blood to flow to some muscles of the eye, passing through a small zygomatic arch. The anterior ear goes to the ear, namely its visible surface of the inner part, also there is an average temporal artery and branches located in the region of the gland located here.

The maxillary artery does not go with one trunk and is also divided into other vessels, in this case several departments are distinguished, one of which is the jaw. It includes the smaller vessels that leave it, for example, it is a deep ear artery. There is also a fairly large artery called the lower alveolar artery. The densest among the vessels of this group is the middle meningale, located in the direction of the envelope of the brain.

Conclusion

The above information shows what is the external carotid artery. The topography of the branch divides it into 4 groups. All of them are important for a person, and a failure in the work of one of them can affect not only the problems in the field of a certain part of the body, but also the work of the whole organism. An important role is played by small vessels that branch off from each branch, since they allow the blood of the eyes, cheeks, chin, and various parts of the head to pass through both the muscles and are closer to the epithelium.