Internal carotid artery vein and vagus nerve, the nerve lying on a plane posterior to the artery; medially, with the pharynx, superior laryngeal nerve, and ascending pharyngeal artery. At the base of the skull the glossopharyngeal, vagus, accessory, and hypoglossal nerves lie between the artery and the internal jugular vein. Unlike the external carotid artery, the internal carotid normally has no branches in the neck. The petrous segment, or C2, of the internal carotid is that which is inside the petrous part of the temporal bone. This segment extends until the foramen lacerum. The petrous portion classically has three sections: an ascending, or
Carotid triangle Carotid triangle The carotid triangle (or superior carotid triangle) is a portion of the anterior triangle of the neck. It is bounded: It is (covered) by the integument, superficial fascia, Platysma and deep fascia; Its floor is formed by parts of the -1 Thyrohyoid membrane, -2Hyoglossus, and the -3Constrictores pharyngis medius and inferior. The external and internal carotids lie side by side, the external being the more anterior of the two. The following branches of the external carotid are also met with in this space: The veins met with are: ...all of which end in the internal jugular vein Superficial