Question #600
Internal carotid artery
The internal carotid artery arises from the common carotid artery at the level of C4. It ascends up through the neck without giving any branches and enters the skull through the carotid canal. It supplies the ipsilateral cerebral hemisphere but due to good anastomoses at the circle of willis complete occlusion of the artery will not necessarily result in symptoms.
Posterior to the artery lie the transverse processes of the upper cervical vertebrae, containing the vertebral artery in the transverse foramen, the sympathetic chain and longus colli.
Superficial to the artery are the hypoglossal nerve, ansa cervicalis, the facial and lingual veins.
The nasal septum, like the scalp, is a site of anastomsis between the internal and external carotid artery.
The internal jugular vein is located between the two heads of sternocleidomastoid.