Exam 4 Larynx Flashcards

1
Q

Larynx

  • Where is it located?
  • Function?
  • Structure
A
  • Extends from lower part of pharynx to trachea; suspended by hyoid bone
  • Acts as a compound sphincter to prevent passage of food or drink into airway during swallowing
  • Regulates flow of air to and from lungs during phonation
  • Cartilage skeleton made up of 9 cartilages:
    • 3 paired: Arytenoid, Corniculate, Cuneiform
    • 3 unpaired: Thyroid, Cricoid, Epiglottis
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2
Q

Thyroid cartilage

  • Where is it located?
  • Structure?
  • What muscles are attached to it?
A
  • Below hyoid, joined by broad, thin thyrohyoid membrane
  • Structure:
    • Two flat laminae join anteriorly to form laryngeal prominence (Adam’s apple)
    • Incomplete posteriorly
    • Superior and inferior horns off posterior margin; inferior horns articulate with cricoid cartilage
  • Oblique line attachment pt for: Sternothyroid, Thyrohyoid, and Inferior constrictor muscles
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3
Q

Cricoid cartilage

  • Where is it located?
  • Structure
  • What is it the border between?
A
  • Anchored to thyroid cartilage at cricothyroid joints by thick cricothyroid ligament
  • Structure:
    • Narrow anterior arch
    • High posterior lamina
    • Superior articular facets for arytenoid cartilages
  • Inferior margin of larynx and superior margin of trachea

ONLY COMPLETE RING IN AIRWAY

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4
Q

Epiglottis

  • Where is it located?
  • Structure
  • Function
A
  • Located behind root of tongue; lower end is attached to back of thyroid cartilage
  • Spoon-shaped plate made of elastic cartilage
  • During swallowing, closes over larynx to prevent food and drink from entering airway
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5
Q

Arytenoid cartilage

  • Where is it located?
  • Structure (What muscles attach here?)
  • Function?
A
  • Located above cricoid cartilage
  • Structure:
    • Pyramid shaped
    • Anterior vocal processes: Attachment for vocal ligament and vocalis muscle
    • Muscular processes: Attachment for thyroarytenoid, lateral and posterior cricoarytenoid muscles
  • Function: Swivels when muscles contract to modify size/shape of airway opening to control phonation
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6
Q

Corniculate cartilages

  • Where are they located?
A
  • Positioned on top of arytenoid cartilages
  • Enclosed within aryepiglottic folds
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7
Q

Cuneiform cartilages

  • Where are they located?
A
  • Enclosed in aryepiglottic folds anterior to corniculate cartilages
  • DO NOT articulate with other laryngeal cartilages
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8
Q

Ligaments of larynx

  • What are they?
  • What do they connect?
  • Parts (if applicable)
A
  • Thyrohyoid membrane
    • Extends from thyroid cartilage to medial surface of hyoid bone
    • Thick middle portion = middle thyrohyoid ligament
  • Cricothyroid ligament
    • Extends from arch of cricoid cartilage to thyroid cartilage, as well as vocal process of arytenoid cartilages
  • Vocal ligament
    • Extends from posterior surface of thyroid cartilage to vocal process of arytenoid cartilage
    • Upper border of conus elasticus
  • Vestibular (ventricular) ligament
    • Extends from thyroid cartilage to anterior lateral surface of arytenoid cartilage
  • Conus elasticus (cricovocal ligament)
    • Extends upward from entire arch of cricoid cartilage to vocal ligaments
    • Formed by cricothyroid, median cricothyroid, and vocal ligaments
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9
Q

Cavities and folds of larynx

  • What are they?
  • Where are they located?
A
  • Vestibule of larynx
    • Extends from laryngeal inlet to vestibular folds
  • Ventricles of larynx
    • Extend between ventricular fold and vocal fold
  • Rima glottidis
    • Space between vocal folds and arytenoid cartilages
    • Narrowest portion of laryngeal cavity
  • Infraglottic cavity
    • Extends from rima glottidis to lower body of cricoid cartilge
  • Vestibular folds (false vocal cords)
    • Extend from thyroid cartilage to vocal ligament of arytenoid cartilage
  • Vocal folds (true vocal cords)
    • Extend from angle of thyroid cartilage to vocal processes of arytenoid cartilages
    • Contain vocal ligament and vocalis muscle
    • Alter shape of rima glottidis by movement of arytenoids to facilitate phonation and respiration (the rima glottidis is wide during inspiration and narrow during expiration and sound production)
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10
Q

Muscles of Larynx

What is the general function of the muscles?

  • Extrinsic
  • Intrinsic
A
  • Extrinsic: Suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles
    • Act to elevate or depress larynx during swallowing
  • Intrinsic: Act within larynx to manipulate ariway and vocal ligaments by moving arytenoid cartilages or cricothyroid joints
    • All are innervated by branches of CN X, mainly recurrent laryngeal nerve
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11
Q

Cricothyroid muscle

  • Proximal Attachment
  • Distal Attachment
  • Action
  • Innervation
A
  • Proximal Attachment: Arch of cricoid cartilage
  • Distal Attachment: Inferior horn and lower lamina of thryoid cartilage
  • Action: Tenses vocal cords
  • Innervation: CN X (via external laryngeal branch of superior laryngeal nerve)
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12
Q

Vocalis muscle

  • Proximal Attachment
  • Distal Attachment
  • Action
  • Innervation
A
  • Proximal Attachment: Angle between two laminae of thyroid cartilage
  • Distal Attachment: Vocal processes of arytenoid cartilages
  • Action: Relaxes and adducts vocal cords
  • Innervation: CN X (via recurrent laryngeal nerve)
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13
Q

Posterior cricoarytenoid muscle

  • Proximal Attachment
  • Distal Attachment
  • Action
  • Innervation
A
  • Proximal Attachment: Posterior surface of lamina of cricoid cartilage
  • Distal Attachment: Muscular process of arytenoid cartilage
  • Action: Abducts vocal cords
  • Innervation: CN X (via recurrent laryngeal nerve)
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14
Q

Lateral cricoarytenoid muscle

  • Proximal Attachment
  • Distal Attachment
  • Action
  • Innervation
A
  • Proximal Attachment: Arch of cricoid cartilage
  • Distal Attachment: Muscular process of arytenoid cartilages
  • Action: Adducts vocal cords
  • Innervation: CN X (via recurrent laryngeal nerve)
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15
Q

Transverse arytenoid muscle

  • Proximal Attachment
  • Distal Attachment
  • Action
  • Innervation
A
  • Proximal Attachment: Posterior surface of arytenoid cartilage
  • Distal Attachment: Opposite arytenoid cartilage
  • Action: Adducts vocal cords (closes laryngeal inlet)
  • Innervation: CN X (via recurrent laryngeal nerve)
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16
Q

Oblique arytenoid muscle

  • Proximal Attachment
  • Distal Attachment
  • Action
  • Innervation
A
  • Proximal Attachment: Muscular process of arytenoid cartilage
  • Distal Attachment: Apex of opposite arytenoid cartilage
  • Action: Adducts vocal cords (closes laryngeal inlet)
  • Innervation: CN X (via recurrent laryngeal nerve)
17
Q

Aryepiglottic muscle

  • Proximal Attachment
  • Distal Attachment
  • Action
  • Innervation
A
  • Proximal Attachment: Apex of arytenoid cartilage
  • Distal Attachment: Side of epiglottic cartilage
  • Action: Adducts vocal cords (weak), pulls epiglottis down to close laryngeal inlet during swallowing
  • Innervation: CN X (via recurrent laryngeal nerve)
18
Q

Thyroarytenoid muscle

  • Proximal Attachment
  • Distal Attachment
  • Action
  • Innervation
A
  • Proximal Attachment: Inner surface of thyroid lamina
  • Distal Attachment: Anterolateral surface of arytenoid cartilage
  • Action: Adducts and relaxes vocal cords
  • Innervation: CN X (via recurrent laryngeal nerve)
19
Q

Thyroepiglottic muscle

  • Proximal Attachment
  • Distal Attachment
  • Action
  • Innervation
A
  • Proximal Attachment: Anteromedial surface of lamina of thyroid cartilage
  • Distal Attachment: Lateral margin of epiglottic cartilage
  • Action: Adducts vocal cords
  • Innervation: CN X (via recurrent laryngeal nerve)
20
Q

Blood supply of larynx

  • Arterial supply
  • Venous drainage
A
  • Most blood comes from Superior laryngeal artery (External carotid -> Superior thyroid a -> Superior laryngeal a)
    • Accompanies superior laryngeal n and enters larynx through thyrohyoid membrane
  • Blood also received from Inferior laryngeal artery (Subclavian artery -> Thyrocervical trunk -> Inferior thyroid artery -> Inferior laryngeal artery)
    • Accompanies recurrent laryngeal nerve into larynx
  • Venous drainage: Superior and inferior laryngeal veins
    • Run with arteries of same name
21
Q

Innervation of Larynx

  • What are the nerves?
  • What is their function?
A
  • Recurrent laryngeal nerve
    • Innervates all intrinsic muscles of larynx EXCEPT cricothyroid
    • Sensory innervation below vocal cord
  • Internal laryngeal nerve
    • Supplies sensory innervation to mucous membrane above vocal cord
    • Runs with superior laryngeal artery
  • External laryngeal nerve
    • Innervates cricothyroid and inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles
    • Accompanied by superior thyroid artery
22
Q

Laryngeal obstruction (choking)

  • What causes it?
  • How is it resolved?
A
  • Caused by aspirated foods becoming lodged at rima glottidis
  • Heimlich maneuver resolves it by causing rapid burst of air through larynx to dislodge obstruction
23
Q

Laryngitis

  • What is it?
  • Symptoms?
A
  • Inflammation of mucous membrane of larynx
  • Symptoms:
    • Dryness/soreness of throat
    • Hoarseness
    • Cough
    • Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
24
Q

Lesion of recurrent laryngeal nerve

  • What causes it?
  • Symptoms
A
  • Can be caused by thyroidectomy or cricothyrotomy or rarely by aortic aneurysm
  • Symptoms
    • Unilateral: Hoarseness, loss of cough, dysphagia
    • Bilateral: Breathlessness, loss of voice