Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
External Carotid Artery (ECA)
The External Carotid Artery is typically smaller
than the ICA, is located anteromedial to the ICA and ascends posterolaterally. The
branches of the ECA are: the superior thyroid; ascending pharyngeal; lingual; facial
occipital; posterior auricular; superficial temporal; and the internal maxillary artery.
Internal Carotid Artery (ICA)
The Internal Carotid Artery is the larger of the two
bifurcation branches, comprises four main segments: the cervical, petrous, cavern-
ous, and the cerebral. The cervical section originates at the CCA bifurcation and
ends up near the base of the skull. Anatomically, the ICA runs deep to the sternoclei-
domastoid muscle, and it typically extends posterolateral to the ECA and courses
medially as it ascends towards the neck region. The ICA is slightly dilated at its
origin. This dilated bulb is known as the carotid sinus.
2.2.5
Physiology of the Coronary Arteries
Coronary arteries form a network of micro-scale vessels within the heart that is
responsible for the transport of oxygenated blood to the myocardium (the muscle
tissue of the heart that is made of thick contractile muscle cells responsible for the
contractile pumping) to enable heart pumping. The cardiac veins then deliver the
de-oxygenated blood away from the myocardium (Fig.
2.11
).
The coronary artery network includes the epicardial coronary arteries which are
found on the surface of the heart. These arteries regulate blood supply to the myo-
cardium however their relatively narrow size make them susceptible to atheroscle-
rosis, and blockages leading to angina or a heart attack. During the systolic event,
ventricular myocardium contracts and high intraventricular pressures compresses
Fig. 2.11
Anatomical structure of the coronary arterial tree. The branches of the coronary arterial
tree, as labelled in
red text
, supply blood to the heart muscles. Obstruction to the coronary arteries
blocks blood from reaching the cardiac muscles and resulting in myocardial ischemia since they
are the only vital source of blood supply to the myocardium
Search WWH ::
Custom Search