Aorta and Carotid Arteries Aortic anatomy

Aorta and Carotid Arteries

Aortic anatomy

Bright Zoom Doctor,

 

Anatomy

◆ Ascending Aorta starts at the base of the left ventricle and passes up and to the right

◆ Arch of Aorta starts at the level of sternal angle and passes back and to the left side of T4

◆ First branch of the arch is the right brachiocephalic artery which branches into the Right common carotid and right subclavian arteries

◆ Next branches are the left common carotid and then left subclavian arteries

◆ The left and right vertebral arteries are branches of the left and right subclavian arteries

◆ Coarctation of the Aorta is commonest just after the origin of the left subclavian artery

The thoracic Aorta runs from the left side of T4 to T12

◆ The abdominal Aorta bifurcates at L4 into common iliac arteries

◆ As the subclavian artery crosses the border of the first rib it becomes the axillary artery

◆ As the axillary artery passes the lower margin of teres major it becomes the brachial artery.

◆ The radial artery and ulnar artery arise from the bifurcation of the brachial artery in the cubital fossa

Carotid Artery

◆ The carotid body and carotid sinus are innervated by the vagus nerve

◆ The right common carotid artery arises from the bifurcation of the brachiocephalic artery behind the right sternoclavicular joint.

◆ The left common carotid comes directly off the arch.

◆ The Carotid sheath contains the Common carotid artery, internal jugular vein and vagus nerve lying between and the sympathetic chain ascends outside and just behind the carotid sheath however despite that pathology that affects one also affects all

◆ The internal carotid artery gives off no branches in the neck which is helpful in differentiating from the external carotid which gives of many branches