Head And Neck: The Larynx Flashcards
What are the 3 functions the larynx is involved in?
- phonation
- respiration
- swallowing
What are the attachments of the epiglottis?
Attached posterior to the thyroid cartilage by the thyroepiglottic ligament.
What is the epiglottis made of?
Fibrocartilage
What is the depression called between the base of the tongue and the epiglottis?
What is its clinical significance?
The Vallecula
During intubation the tool is put in this space to pull the tongue upwards to allow a better view of the vocal cords
What is the typical presentation of epiglottitis?
Most common in children aged 2-5
Commonly present with sore throat, painful swallowing, drooling, hot potato voice and fever
Life threatening: children have small airways in the first place so any swelling can have a big effect
What is the most common causative organism for epiglottitis?
Haemophilus influenzae
Traveller children more susceptible to less vaccinations
What are the cartilages associated with the larynx?
Thyroid cartilage
Cricoid cartilage (only full ring)
Arytenoid cartilages attached to top of cricoid cartilage
What are the attachments of the vestibular ligaments (false cords) and vocal ligaments (true cords)?
Vestibular ligaments - thyroid cartilage to arytenoid cartilage
Vocal ligaments - thyroid cartilage (fixed) to arytenoid cartilage (moveable)
What is the level of the thyroid cartilage?
C4
How to you prevent gastric contents entering the airways in an emergency operation where the px has not fasted?
Apply cricoid pressure - pressing on the cricoid cartilage at the front causes the signet area at the posterior to compress the oesophagus and prevent gastric contents entering the airway
What are the membranes of the larynx?
What is their clinical significance?
The cricothyroid membrane - cricoidthyroidotomy used to create an emergency airway when intubation is not possible
The thyrohyoid membrane - used for a long term tracheostomy
What is the position of the vocal cords during respiration, phonation and swallowing?
Respiration - fully abducted
Phonation - partial abducted
Swallowing - fully adducted
What is the action of the cricothyroid muscle?
Tilts the thyroid cartilage to tense the vocal cords to increase vocal pitch.
What is the action of the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle?
The only muscle to ABduct the vocal cords
Whats the function of the:
- internal branch of super laryngeal nerve
- external branch of superior laryngeal nerve
- recurrent laryngeal nerve
Internal branch of superior laryngeal: sensory to supraglottic region
External branch of superior laryngeal: motor to the cricothyroid muscle
Recurrent laryngeal nerve: sensory to the subglottic region, motor to the instrinsic muscles
