Retropharyngeal Course Of The Left Ica


Theretropharyngealcourse of the left ICA (internal carotid artery) is a non-branching vessel, which begins at its origin from the paired common carotid arteries in the neck and proceeds laterally through the retropharyngeal space. This vessel is also known as the retropharyngeal segment or retropharyngeal vessel. It is important because it provides an important clinical landmark in neurovascular and head & neck surgery including surgeries of the cerebrovascular system, neurovascular compression syndromes, and skull base tumors. The intraoral course of the ICA is an important anatomic landmark due to its relationship with the middle ear and internal carotid artery (ICA) branch of the internal jugular vein. The retropharyngeal course of the ICA begins at its origin from the common carotid artery and passes anteriorly lateral to the tongue and then curved anteriorly to reach the base of the skull. It typically follows a straight course,although it may curve at its distal end. This retropharyngeal segment may extend up to 9 cm in length and is located between the prevertebral fascia and the alar fascia. As it passes through the retropharyngeal area, this vessel is surrounded by connective tissue, which helps to support its walls and minimize trauma to the adjacent tissue. The retropharyngeal course of the ICA supplies several branches to the tongue muscles and other structures in the retropharyngeal space. These vessels include the muscular branches of the ICA, which supply the geniohyoid muscle and genioglossus muscle, and the pterygoid branch, which supplies the upper portion of the medial pterygoid muscle. This segment of the ICA also gives rise to sensory branches, which supply sensation to the structures in the retropharyngeal space. It is important to remember that injury to the retropharyngeal course of the ICA can lead to cranial nerve (CN) impairment or hemorrhage.

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