A major artery that carries blood from the heart to the head. There is a carotid artery on each side of the neck, and each one splits into two branches. The interior branch carries blood to the brain and eyes, and the exterior branch carries blood to the face, tongue, and outside parts of the head.
Last updated: 2016-01-06
Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms (http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)