Branches of internal carotid artery (mnemonic)

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Useful mnemonics to remember the branches of the internal carotid artery is:

  • A VIP'S COMMA
  • Calming Voices Make Intra-Operative Surgery Pleasurable And Almost Memorable

Mnemonics

A VIP'S COMMA

The last two branches in the mnemonic are the terminal branches of the internal carotid artery.

Except for the terminal segment (C7) the odd-numbered segments usually have no branches, whereas the even-numbered segments (C2, C4, C6) each have two branches.

Calming Voices Make Intra-Operative Surgery Pleasurable And Almost Memorable
  • C: caroticotympanic artery (C2)
  • V: Vidian artery (C2)
  • M: meningohypophyseal trunk (C4)
  • I: inferolateral trunk (C4)
  • O: ophthalmic artery (C6)
  • S: superior hypophyseal artery (C6)
  • P: posterior communicating artery (C7)
  • A: anterior choroidal artery (C7)
  • A: anterior cerebral artery (C7)
  • M: middle cerebral artery (C7)