Uncommon Disorders Affecting the Carotid Arteries

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A lesion centered within the carotid space will displace the ipsilateral parapharyngeal fat anteromedially.
The infrahyoid carotid space contains the vagus nerve, as well as the common carotid... artery and internal jugular vein.
Carotid body tumors will splay the internal and external carotid arteries.
Acute internal jugular vein thrombus can be associated with fluid in the retropharyngeal space.
A metastatic cystic deep cervical chain lymph node may be from squamous cell carcinoma or papillary thyroid carcinoma. Introduction The complex anatomy of the carotid space within a small confined space in the neck allows for a vast array of pathology. This article will review the anatomy of the carotid space, as well as the various types of pathology that may occur within this confined region. Masses within this space include paragangliomas, nerve sheath tumors, lipomas, and pathology involving the deep cervical chain lymph nodes. As the name implies, the carotid artery and jugular vein may also be involved as part of the pathology. Carotid space anatomy The carotid space is a paired space defined by the carotid sheath, a connective tissue boundary in the neck, that is made by the superficial, middle, and deep layers of the deep cervical fascia. Extending from the jugular foramen at the skull base to the aortic arch at the thoracic inlet, the carotid space is divided craniocaudally into the supra- and infrahyoid regions. The suprahyoid carotid space is surrounded anteriorly by the masticator and parapharyngeal spaces, laterally by the parotid space, medially by the retropharyngeal space, and posteriorly by the perivertebral space. A mass centered within the carotid space will displace the parapharyngeal fat/space anteromedially [1]. The suprahyoid portion of the carotid space contains the internal carotid artery, the internal jugular vein, cranial nerves 9 through 12, the ansa cervicalis, the sympathetic plexus, and deep cervical lymph nodes [1]. The infrahyoid carotid space is surrounded anteriorly by the anterior cervical space, medially by the visceral and retropharyngeal spaces, and posteriorly by the perivertebral and posterior cervical spaces. Below the level * Correspondence: Harris_Chengazi@urmc.rochester.edu Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 [Show More]

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