Carotid triangle

The carotid triangle is one of the paired triangles in the anterior triangle of the neck. The triangles of the neck are surgically focused, first described from early dissection-based anatomical studies which predated cross-sectional anatomical description based on imaging (see deep spaces of the neck).

Boundaries

• superior: posterior belly of digastric
• anteroinferiorly: superior belly of omohyoid
• posterior: sternocleidomastoid
• floor: thyrohyoid, hyoglossus, middle and inferior pharyngeal constrictors
• roof: skin, superficial fascia, platysma, deep fascia

Contents

Important vascular structures are found within this triangle. It contains the bifurcation of the common carotid artery into internal and external carotid arteries.

The internal carotid artery initially lies postero-laterally to the external carotid artery. It then becomes posterior to it.

Branches of the external carotid artery are found in the triangle including:

• superior thyroid artery
• lingual artery
• facial artery
• occipital artery
• ascending pharyngeal artery

Corresponding veins to these branches drain into the internal jugular vein.

Crossing both the internal and external carotid artery is the hypoglossal nerve.

Nerves

• hypoglossal nerve
• nerve to thyrohyoid from the C1 ventral ramus of the cervical plexus
• superior root of ansa cervicalis
• internal laryngeal nerve
• external laryngeal nerve