Superior thyroid artery
Superficial dissection of the left side of the neck, showing the carotid and subclavian arteries.
The fascia and middle thyroid veins. (Superior thyroid artery labelled at upper left.)
Details
Source	External carotid artery
Branches	Hyoid artery Sternocleidomastoid artery superior laryngeal artery cricothyroid artery
Vein	Superior thyroid vein
Supplies	Thyroid
Identifiers
Latin	arteria thyreoidea superior
TA98	A12.2.05.002
TA2	4370
FMA	49472
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

Thesuperior thyroid artery arises from theexternal carotid artery just below the level of the greater cornu of thehyoid bone and ends in thethyroid gland.

From its origin under the anterior border of thesternocleidomastoid the superior thyroid artery runs upward and forward for a short distance in thecarotid triangle, where it is covered by the skin,platysma, andfascia; it then arches downward beneath theomohyoid,sternohyoid, andsternothyroid muscles.

To its medial side are theinferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle and the external branch of thesuperior laryngeal nerve.

It distributes twigs to the adjacent muscles, and numerous branches to thethyroid gland, connecting with its fellow of the opposite side, and with theinferior thyroid arteries. The branches to the gland are generally two in number. One, the larger, supplies principally the anterior surface; on the isthmus of the gland it connects with the corresponding artery of the opposite side. A second branch descends on the posterior surface of the gland and anastomoses with theinferior thyroid artery.

Besides the arteries distributed to the muscles and to the thyroid gland, the branches of the superior thyroid are:

• Theinfrahyoid branch (orhyoid artery): a small artery that runs along the lower border of thehyoid bone beneath thethyrohyoid muscle. This artery connects with the infrahyoid branch of the opposite side. The infrahyoid branch is a derivative of thesecondaortic arch.
• Thesternocleidomastoid branch runs downward and laterally across the sheath of thecommon carotid artery, and supplies thesternocleidomastoideus muscle and neighboring muscles and skin; it frequently arises as a separate branch from theexternal carotid artery.
• Thesuperior laryngeal artery accompanies theinternal laryngeal branch of thesuperior laryngeal nerve, beneath thethyrohyoid muscle. This artery branches from the superior thyroid artery near its bifurcation from theexternal carotid artery. Together with theinternal laryngeal nerve, it pierces thelateral thyrohyoid membrane, and supplies blood to the muscles,mucous membrane, and glands of thelarynx, connecting with the branch from the opposite side.
• Thecricothyroid artery may contribute to the supply of the larynx. It follows a variable course either superficial or deep to thesternothyroid muscle. If superficial, it may be accompanied by branches of theansa cervicalis, and if deep, it may be related to theexternal laryngeal nerve. It can connect with the artery of the opposite side and with the laryngeal arteries.

This artery must be ligated at the thyroid when conducting athyroidectomy. If the artery is severed, but not ligated, it will bleed profusely. In order to gain control of the bleeding, thesurgeon may need to extend the original incision laterally to ligate the artery at its origin at theexternal carotid artery. Furthermore, the external laryngeal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve courses close to the superior thyroid artery, making it at risk of injury during surgery.

• Inferior thyroid artery

• 
  Diagram showing the origins of the main branches of the carotid arteries.
• 
  The internal carotid and vertebral arteries. Right side. (Superior thyroid visible at center.)
• 
  The thyroid gland and its relations.
• 
  Side of neck, showing chief surface markings.
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  Superior thyroid artery
• 
  Muscles, arteries and nerves of neck.Newborn dissection.
• 
  Muscles, nerves and arteries of neck.Deep dissection. Anterior view.

This article incorporates text in thepublic domain frompage 552 of the 20th edition ofGray's Anatomy(1918)

• Anatomy figure: 26:02-02 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center
• lesson5 at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (antthyroidgland)

• Arteries of the head and neck
• Thyroid
• Pharynx

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Anatomy NAV infobox with use of other NAV parameters
• Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)