The brachiocephalic artery (or brachiocephalic trunk or innominate artery) is an artery of the mediastinum that supplies blood to the right arm and the head and neck.

It is the first branch of the aortic arch, and soon after it emerges, the brachiocephalic artery divides into the right common carotid artery (CCA) and the right subclavian artery.

The innominate artery arises as the largest trunk of the aortic arch and branches into the right CCA and the right subclavian artery. The right CCA ascends to the upper level of the thyroid cartilage, where it bifurcates into the right internal carotid artery (ICA) and external carotid artery (ECA).

There is no brachiocephalic artery for the left side of the body. The left common carotid, and the left subclavian artery, come directly off the aortic arch. However, there are two brachiocephalic veins.

Not less than 50% of all ischemic strokes appear to occur resulting from pathology of extracranial arteries. Occlusions and stenoses are more commonly encountered in carotid arteries, with the incidence of occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) ranging from 5 to 10% within the structure of all lesions of brachiocephalic artery (BCA).