laryng 1 Flashcards
what is the larynx made of? (3)
- cartilage
- muscle
- ligaments
what is behind the larynx?
the esophagus
what are the 5 main functions of the larynx?
- Allowing air passage into lungs
- Protection of airway
- Coughing
- Stabilizing thoracic cavity during force exertion
- Voice production
name the 6 cartilages of the larynx + indicate if they’re paired or not
- thyroid cartilage (unpaired)
- cricoid cartilage (unpaired)
- epiglottis (unpaired)
- arytenoid cartilage (paired)
- corniculate cartilage (paired)
- cuneiform cartilage (paired)
what suspends the larynx superiorly? inferiorly?
- superiorly: hyoid bone
- inferiorly: trachea
parts of thyroid cartilage? (7)
- lamina (plates – incompletely fused at superior end)
- superior thyroid notch
- laryngeal prominence (adam’s apple)
- superior horn
- inferior horn
- oblique line (gives attachment to things)
- anterior commissure (where VFs attach)
parts of cricoid cartilage? (4)
- lamina
- arch
- articular facets for arytenoid cartilage
- articular facets for thyroid cartilage
where is the cricoid cartilage relative to thyroid cartilage? what does it articulate with?
- inferior
- with inferior horns of thyroid cartilage
what attaches the cricoid cartilage to the trachea?
cricotracheal ligament
which muscles does the cricoid cartilage serve as the attachment point for? (3)
- lateral cricoarytenoid muscles
- posterior cricoarytenoid muscles
- cricothyroid muscle
when is a cricothyroidotomy performed?
when intubation is not possible
where are the arytenoid cartilages located?
on lateral superior borders of cricoid cartilage
parts of arytenoid cartilages? (4)
- apex
- vocal process (anterior)
- muscular process (lateral)
- cricoarytenoid joints
which cartilages have no obvious function? (2) where is each located?
- corniculate: apex of arytenoid cartilages (horn)
- cuneiform: in aryepiglottic folds (wedge)
aka vestigial cartilages
function of epiglottis?
covers laryngeal vestibule and directs food posteriorly to esophagus during swallowing
what does the epiglottis attach to? (2)
- thyroid cartilage
- hyoid
what is the bottom pointy part of the epiglottis called?
stalk
what attaches the epiglottis to the hyoid?
hyo-epiglottic ligament
what do extrinsic ligaments attach?
a) larynx cartilage + hyoid
b) larynx cartilage + trachea
what are the 3 thyrohyoid membranes/ligaments? what does each attach?
- Thyrohyoid membrane: Superior thyroid cartilage + hyoid bone
- Lateral thyrohyoid ligament: Superior horn of the thyroid ??? to the hyoid bone.
- Median thyrohyoid ligament: Thyroid notch to hyoid body.
what does the cricotracheal membrane connect?
cricoid + first tracheal ring
what does the hyo-epiglottic ligament connect?
anterior epiglottis + hyoid
what do the median and lateral glossoepiglottic ligaments attach? what does this form?
- tongue + epiglottis
- forms vallecula (pool liquid)
what does the quadrangular membrane form?
- vestibular ligament at bottom
- aryepiglottic folds at top
what do the median cricothyroid ligament and lateral cricothyroid ligament (conus elasticus) form?
vocal ligament
what do aryepiglottic folds connect?
arytenoids to epiglottis
what is the vocal vs ventricular ligament?
- vocal: Anterior commissure of thyroid to vocal procartilagecess of arytenoid
- ventricular: Thyroid cartilage to anterior surface of arytenoid
what is meant by supra-glottal vs glottal vs sub-glottal space?
- supra: laryngeal vestibule
- glottal: at VFs
- sub: continuous with trachea
what is the aditus? how is it set? what is it bounded by?
- passageway of larynx
- oblique / posteriorly
- bounded anteriorly by epiglottis, on each side by aryepiglottic folds, inferiorly by interarytenoid fold
where is the vestibule?
above VFs (visible when epiglottis is up)
where is the ventricle?
between quadrangular membrane and conus elasticus
food may pool in the valleculae at the front of the throat. where may food pool in the back of your throat?
pyriform sinuses
