The common carotid artery is a blood vessel that delivers blood from the heart to the head and neck. A major branch of the aorta, it is a paired vessel, with the left common carotid artery supplying the left side of the neck and head and the right common carotid artery supplying the right side. Each subsequently splits to form the internal and external carotid arteries, with the internal carotid bringing blood to the brain and the external carotid bringing blood to various areas of the head and neck, including the face, larynx, and skull. The function of this vessel is to transport oxygenated blood, rich in energy-supplying nutrients like glucose, to these parts of the body.
Originating in the thoracic or chest region, the common carotid artery arises from the arch of the aorta. The aorta is the largest artery exiting the heart, ascending a few inches in the thorax, curving to the left, and then changing its course to descend past the heart and deliver blood to the rest of the body. The arch is found where it switches direction.