Laryngeal Structures and Muscles W3 Flashcards
what is the larynx?
approx 5cm in length etending from the 3-4th to 6th cervical vertebra primary biological functions include guard do to the airway during swallowing allows pressure build up for physical exertion - hold breath modifies upper airway resistance secondary function - phonation for speech
what are the laryngeal cartilages?
major unpaired cartilages: thyroid, cricoid, epiglottis
smaller paired cartilages: arytenoid, corniculate, cuneiform
what is the epiglottis?
flexible elastic leaf like cartilage
flips during swallowing to assist airway protection
attached just below thyroid notch via thuroepiglottic ligament
what is thyroid cartilage?
largest and most superior laryngeal cartilage
thyroid lamina
thyroid notch
laryngeal prominence - adams apple
superior horns
inferior horns
oblique line
what is cricoid cartilage?
sits just below the thyroid cartilage, and just above the superior tracheal cartilage
shaped like a signet ring - anterior aspect is lower than posterior
posterior superior portion articulates with the srytenoid cartilages
lateral edge articulates with the inferior horns of the thyroid cartilage
cricoid arch, laminae, cricothyroid joint - articular facets for inferior thyroid cornu, median vertical ridge
what is arytenoid cartilages?
small cone shpaed cartilages paired
sit on top of cricoid cartilage
three processes - apex, muscular and vocal processes (vocal folds)
what are the cricothyroid and cricoarytenoid joints?
only functionally mobile points of the laryn
crucial for speech production
cricothyroid - changes in vocal pitch
cricoarytenoid - adduction and abduction of vocal folds (vocal fold vibration) required for phonation
what is the cricothyroid joint?
allows thyroid to rock downwards given shape of cricoid
allows thyroid to glide forward and back slightly
when these two structures approximate in the front the thyroid and arytenoids move further apart tensing the vocal folds - provides major adjustment for change in pitch
what are the cricoarytenoid joints?
allows rocking and gliding and some rotation of the arytenoids on the cricoid cartilage
rocking = approximation of vocal fgolds
gliding = changes in vocal fold lenth
rotation = extremes of abduction
provides the adduction and abduction required for phonation or voice
what is vocal fold abduction and adduction
adduction = vocal processes rotated medially and inferiorly
abduction = vocal processes rotated superiorly and laterally
what are the corniculate cartilages?
conical shaped cartilages that sit on the apex of the arytenoid cartilages
continuation of the arytenoid cartilages i.e. forms an apex on the apex
what is cuneiform cartilages?
situated in the aryepiglottic folds
cant be directly visualised
seen by presence of cuneiform tubercles
what is the hyoid bone?
horseshoe shaped
situated at the level of c3 - important structure for swallowing
body
greater horns
lesser horns
does not articulate with any other bone - held in position by a muscular sling
what is the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic laryngeal muscles?
intrinsic have both their origin and insertion on laryngeal cartilages, fine adjustmaents to the vocal mechanism, important in speech
extrinsic have one attachment on a laryngeal cartilage and one attachment outside the larynx, position the larynx i.e. elevation or depression, important in swallowing
what are the intrinsic laryngeal muscles?
adductors - lateral cricoarytenoid, interarytenoid muscle (transverse arytenoid amd oblique arytenoid)
abductor - posterior cricoarytenoid
glottal tensors - cricothyroid, thyroarytenoid vocalis
glottal relaxor - thyroarytenoid muscularis