Branches
External Carotid Artery Branches |
Intracranial Supply |
Superior thyroid |
None |
Ascending Pharyngeal |
Neuromeningeal branch dura and lower cranial nerves |
Lingual |
|
Facial |
Angular branch anastomosis with ophthalmic artery branches
|
Occipital |
Anastomosis with vertebral artery segmental branches |
Superficial temporal |
|
Internal Maxillary |
Middle meningeal artery foramen spinosum supplies dura (anastomose with pial branches) |
ECA collateral circulation:
– ECA occlusion is usually well tolerated due to abundant collaterals:
– Contralateral ECA:
o Facial, maxillary and occipital arteries of both sides
– Internal Carotid Artery:
o Supraorbital artery (branch of superficial temporal) and Ophthalmic artery of ICA
o Middle meningeal artery (branch of maxillary) and cortical branches of MCA/ACA
o Ascending pharyngeal and inferior hypophyseal branch of ICA
o Stylomastoid artery of ECA (branch of posterior auricular) and Caroticotympanic artery of ICA
o Vidian branch of ECA (from maxillary artery) and Vidian branch of ICA
– Vertebral artery:
o Anastomosis between ascending pharyngeal artery and branches from Vertebral V2 segment.