Larynx

Question 1

Besides the hyoid bone, what items (cartilages) make up the framework of the larynx?

Answer 1

epiglottis
thyroid cartilage (major player)
cricoid cartilage (supporting role)
arytenoid cartilages (major star)
corniculate cartilages
cuneiform cartilages

Question 2

What stretches between the thyroid cartilage and hyoid bone?

Answer 2

thyrohyoid membrane

Question 3

What passes through an opening in the thyrohyoid membrane?

Answer 3

internal laryngeal nerve and superior laryngeal artery

Question 4

What stretches between cricoid and thyroid cartilages?

Answer 4

medial and lateral cricothyroid ligaments

Question 5

What stretches between the cricoid and tracheal ring?

Answer 5

cricotracheal ligament

Question 6

What stretches between the arytenoids and thyroid cartilages?

Answer 6

vocal ligament

Question 7

What forms the vocal ligament?

Answer 7

medial condensation of lateral cricothyroid ligament

Question 8

What stretches between thyroid cartilage and epiglottis, and between hyoid bone and epiglottis?

Answer 8

thyroepiglottic ligament

hyoepiglottic ligament

Question 9

What ligament is cut when doing an emergency cricoidotomy?

Answer 9

median cricoid ligament

Question 10

What is the purpose of laryngeal/lateral ventricles?

Answer 10

creates a “shelf” to catch mucus on its way up and out as you cough

Question 11

What is the synovial joint of the thyroid & cricoid?

Answer 11

between the inferior horn of thyroid cartilage and the lateral facet of the cricoid cartilage (cricothyroid joint)

Question 12

What cartilages support the vocal folds?

Answer 12

arytenoid cartilages

Question 13

What movements happen at the synovial joint of the arytenoid cartilage and cricoid cartilage?

Answer 13

tilt, slide (adduct and abduct vocal folds)

Question 14

What muscles do the abduction and adduction of the vocal folds? (apposition - full closure)

Answer 14

abduction: posterior cricoarytenoids
adduction: lateral cricoarytenoids

Question 15

What happens when the transverse arytenoid muscles contract?

Answer 15

approximation - not quite closed

Question 16

What muscle is innervated by the external branch of the vagus?

Answer 16

cricothyroid muscle

Question 17

Tension on the vocal cords produces higher or lower frequency?

Answer 17

higher frequency

Question 18

Sensory innervation of the larynx:
above the vocal folds =
below vocal folds =

Answer 18

sensory above the vocal folds = superior laryngeal nerve

sensory below the vocal folds = recurrent laryngeal nerve

Question 19

Motor innervation of the larynx:

all _________ except _______ muscle which is innervated by __________

Answer 19

motor innervation of the larynx is all recurrent laryngeal nerve except cricothyroid muscle which is innervated by the external laryngeal nerve

Question 20

What is the relationship between inferior laryngeal nerve and recurrent laryngeal nerve?

Answer 20

the inferior laryngeal nerve is the terminal part of the recurrent laryngeal nerve

Question 21

What is the arterial supply of the larynx?

Answer 21

superior thyroid artery

inferior thyroid artery

Question 22

What can happen to the voice if a patient has an aortic aneurysm?

Answer 22

since the left recurrent laryngeal nerve wraps around the aorta, bulging/swelling of the aorta can stretch/damage the nerve, causing change in voice

Question 23

What is the venous drainage of the larynx?

Answer 23

lingual vein
superior thyroid vein
inferior thyroid vein

Question 24

Does the entire larynx have the same lymphatic drainage?

Answer 24

No - there is a great divide at the vocal folds and there is different drainage superior and inferior

Question 25

The lateral cricoarytenoid muscles _____ the vocal ligaments.

Answer 25

The lateral cricoarytenoid muscles adduct the vocal ligaments.

Question 26

The posterior cricoarytenoid muscles _____ the vocal ligaments.

Answer 26

The posterior cricoarytenoid muscles abduct the vocal ligaments.