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AnatomyThoraxMediastinumLeft common carotid artery
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AnatomyThoraxMediastinumLeft common carotid artery

Left common carotid artery

Author: Christina Loukopoulou, MSc • Reviewer: Dimitrios Mytilinaios, MD, PhD
Last reviewed: April 02, 2024
Reading time: 1 minute

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Left common carotid artery
Arteria carotis communis sinistra
1/8
Synonyms: none

The left common carotid artery is one of the main arteries of the head and neck and arises directly from the aortic arch in the superior mediastinum.

It is the second and longest branch of the aortic arch and ascends from the apex of the arch lateral to the trachea and esophagus within the deep cervical fascia. Its right counterpart arises from the brachiocephalic trunk posterior to the right sternoclavicular joint.

The left and right common carotid arteries follow the same course on the opposite sides of the neck before bifurcating at the level of C4, into internal and external carotid arteries once they reach the level of the laryngeal thyroid cartilage.

Terminology English: Left common carotid artery

Latin: Arteria carotis communis sinistra
Definition The left common carotid artery arises directly from the aortic arch in the superior mediastinum
Terminal branches Internal and external carotid arteries

Would you like to learn more about the main arteries of the head and neck? Then work your way through the following study unit:\

Main arteries of the head and neck Explore study unit

Sources

All content published on Kenhub is reviewed by medical and anatomy experts. The information we provide is grounded on academic literature and peer-reviewed research. Kenhub does not provide medical advice. You can learn more about our content creation and review standards by reading our content quality guidelines.
  • Moore, K. L., Dalley, A. F. and Agur, A. (2017). Clinically oriented anatomy (8th ed.). Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
  • Standring, S. (2016). Gray's Anatomy (41st ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

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