External Carotid Artery

Abstract

The external carotid artery (ECA) arises from the bifurcation of the common carotid artery (CCA), usually at the level of the third and fourth cervical vertebrae. The superior thyroid artery (STA) can arise from a common trunk with the lingual artery as the thyrolingual trunk, or with the lingual and facial arteries as the thyrolinguofacial trunk. Lingual artery often arises from the common carotid along with the facial and less frequently with the superior thyroid. The superficial temporal artery occasionally gives rise to the maxillary above the zygomatic arch, or to a tympanic artery. The middle meningeal artery (MMA) and accessory meningeal artery (AMA) have been reported to supply the trigeminal ganglion in some individuals. The AMA can also supply the posterior nasal cavity. The ascending pharyngeal artery (APA) can originate from the ECA or the CCA, from the occipital artery, or from the CCA. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.