Larynx Flashcards
What are the 3 single cartilages of the larynx?
Epiglottis, thyroid, cricoid
What are the 3 paired cartilages of the larynx?
Arytenoid, corniculate, cuneiform
bottom to top
What is the unique feature of the cricoid cartilage?
Only full ring
- Thin anterior arch
- Wide posterior lamina
What covers the paired cartilages?
Mucous membranes
What are the spinal landmarks of the pharynx?
Base of skull to C3
C3: where epiglottis attaches to tongue
What are the spinal landmarks of the larynx?
C3 to C6
Epiglottis is connected by membrane to which paired cartilage?
What else is it attached to?
- Arytenoid cartilages
- Hyoid bone & back of tongue
What is the second most common place for foreign body’s to become stuck? Where is it?
- Vallecula
- Directly anterior to epiglottis (behind tongue)
What’s b/w the thyroid cartilage and the hyoid bone?
Thyrohyoid membrane (extrinsic)
What’s the crevice b/w the lamina of the thyroid cartilage called?
What are at the lateral ends of the thyroid cartilage? Which attaches to cricoid cart?
- Superior thyroid notch
- Superior horn and inferior horn (on each side)
- Inferior horn attaches to cricoid cartilage
What are the 2 joints of the cricoid cartilage?
Which is superior?
- Cricothyroid joints
- Cricoarytenoid joints (superior)
What are the 2 processes of the arytenoid cartilages?
- Muscular process (points postero-laterally)
- Vocal process (points anteriorly)
What attaches the cricoid cartilage to the tracheal cartilages?
Cricotracheal ligament (extrinsic)
What in the neck does the internal branch of the superior laryngeal n. & a. pierce to reach its target?
Thyrohyoid membrane
Where are the false vocal cords?
What’s the name of the cord without the mucous membrane?
- In the (intrinsic) quadrangular membrane.
- Vestibular ligament
Where are the true vocal cords?
What’s the name of the cord without the mucous membrane?
- In the (intrinsic) cricothyroid membrane
- Vocal ligament
What lines the lateral edges of the epiglottis?
Aryepiglottic fold
What area is just above the vestibular fold?
Vestibule
What area is just above the vocal fold?
Ventricle
What area is just below the vocal fold?
Infraglottic space
What is the space b/w the vocal cords called?
Rima glottidis
Cricothyroid m: innervation and action?
- External laryngeal n. (of superior laryngeal n. of CN X)
- Tenses vocal ligament (stretches it)
Thyro-arytenoid m: innervation and action?
- Recurrent laryngeal n. (of CN X)
- Relaxes vocal ligament
Vocalis m: innervation and action?
- Recurrent laryngeal n. (of CN X)
- Relaxes vocal ligament (whisperer, Dr. I doesn’t have it)
Posterior cricoarytenoid m: innervation and action?
- Recurrent laryngeal n. (of CN X)
- Abducts vocal cords
Lateral cricoarytenoid m: innervation and action?
- Recurrent laryngeal n. (of CN X)
- Adducts vocal cords
Transverse and oblique arytenoid mm: innervation and action?
- Recurrent laryngeal n. (of CN X)
- Adducts vocal cords
Explain posterior arch development CN innervation.
Pharyngeal arch 1: CN 5, Pharyngeal arch 2: CN 7, Pharyngeal arch 3: CN 9, Pharyngeal arch 4: CN 10 (cricothyroid m, external laryngeal) Pharyngeal arch 6: CN 10
What nerve supplies above the vocal cord?
Internal laryngeal n.
What is the most common place for foreign body’s to become stuck?
- Pyriform fossa
What artery supplies the upper larynx?
Where does it branch from?
- Superior laryngeal a.
- Superior thyroid a.
What artery supplies the lower larynx?
Where does it branch from?
- Inferior laryngeal a.
- Inferior thyroid a.
What n. does the superior laryngeal a. penetrate the thyrohyoid membrane with?
Internal laryngeal n. (of the superior laryngeal n. of CN X)
What n. does the inferior laryngeal a. enter the larynx with?
Recurrent laryngeal n. (of CN X)
Where would an incision be made for an emergency cricothyrotomy?
Cricothyroid membrane (US lecture)
Are the arytenoid cartilages ant or post?
What are they touching?
- Post
- Sit on cricoid cart, thyroid cart is lateral to it, epiglottis is attached to it via the aryepiglottic folds
What is the stem of the epiglottis connected to?
Thyroid cartilage posteriorly (via ligament)
What is the vocal ligament a part of?
Superior part of cricothyroid membrane
What does vocal ligament attach to ant and post?
Ant: thyroid cartilage
Post: Arytenoid cartilages
What is connecting b/w the aryepiglottic folds, the arytenoid cartilages, and the thyroid cartilage?
Quadrangular membrane
Where is the vestibular ligament, w/regards to the quadrangular membrane?
Inferior border
