# What is the carotid artery?

The carotid artery is called the common carotid artery. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as a large artery on each side of the neck.

## What it means

- A large artery on each side of the neck.
- Divides into an internal branch (to the brain) and an external branch (to the face and scalp).
- Its pulse can be felt easily beside the trachea.

## Action steps

1. Runs up each side of the neck.
2. Arises from the arch of the aorta on the left, and from the brachiocephalic artery on the right.
3. Divides at the upper border of the thyroid cartilage.

## Sources

- [Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body (1918)](https://www.bartleby.com/107/)

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