Larynx

Question 1

What are the single cartilages of the neck?

Answer 1

Epiglottis
Thyroid
Cricoid

Question 2

What are the paired cartilages of the neck?

Answer 2

Arytenoid
Corniculate
Cuneiform

Question 3

What is the location of the larynx?

Answer 3

C3 - C6

Question 4

Why is C6 a significant landmark?

Answer 4

C6 is where the pharynx becomes the esophagus and where the larynx becomes the trachea.

Question 5

How is the epiglottis attached to the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage?

Answer 5

The epiglottis is attached to the thyroid cartilage by the thyro-epiglottic ligament AND it is attached to the hyoid bone by another hyoid-epiglottic ligament

Question 6

What 2 folds cover the laryngeal inlet?

Answer 6

2 aryepiglottic folds in the esophagus

Question 7

What is the SECOND most common site for foreign objects to become lodged?

Answer 7

The vallecullae is the SECOND most common site for foreign objects to become lodged

Question 8

What is the technical name of the Adam’s apple?

Answer 8

Adam’s Apple is the laryngeal prominence

Question 9

Angle of the laryngeal prominence in men?

Answer 9

In males it has an angle of 90 degrees

Question 10

Angle of the laryngeal prominence in women?

Answer 10

In females it has an angle of 120 degrees

Question 11

How does the angle of the laryngeal prominence affect the voice?

Answer 11

The differences in angle affect the pitch of the voice

Question 12

What is the function of the thyrohyoid membrane and what passes through it?

Answer 12

The thyrohyoid membrane connects the thyroid cartilage to the hyoid.

This membrane has a hole (aperture) that allows passage of the superior laryngeal artery and internal laryngeal nerve.

Question 13

What are the joints of the cricoid cartilage?

Answer 13

Cricoarytenoid joint - between the 2 arytenoids

Cricothyroid joint - articulates with the thyroid cartilage

Question 14

Where do the vocal cords attach?

Answer 14

Arytenoid cartilage

Question 15

Where is the quadrangular membrane?

Answer 15

Stretched between the epiglottis and arytenoids

Question 16

Where are the upper and lower edges quadrangular membrane?

Answer 16

Upper free edge is the aryepiglottic folds

Lower free edge is the vestibular ligament (false vocal cord)

Question 17

What forms from the upper free edge of the cricothyroid ligament?

Answer 17

Upper free edge forms the vocal ligament (true vocal cord)

Question 18

Name the primary site for lodging things in the larynx.

Answer 18

Piriform recess at either side of the laryngeal inlet

Question 19

What is at risk of damage when removing a foreign body from the piriform process?

Answer 19

Removal of foreign body may damage branches of internal laryngeal nerve, which can lead to loss of sensation of the upper 1/2 of the larynx

Question 20

What motor innervates the muscles of the larynx?

Answer 20

All of the laryngeal muscles receive motor innervation from the recurrent laryngeal nerve of Vagus (X) EXCEPT cricothyroid, which receives motor innervation from the external laryngeal nerve

Question 21

Sensory innervation and blood supply of the muscles ABOVE the vocal cords is done by the:

Answer 21

Superior laryngeal artery (branch of superior thyroid artery) and internal laryngeal nerve (branch of superior laryngeal of vagus (X)
(pierce the thyrohyoid membrane)

Question 22

Sensory innervation and blood supply of the muscles BELOW the vocal cords is done by the:

Answer 22

Inferior laryngeal artery (branch of inferior thyroid artery) and recurrent laryngeal nerve (branch of vagus (X)

Question 23

Difference between the left and right recurrent laryngeal?

Answer 23

The right vagus nerve wraps around the right subclavian artery to innervate below the vocal cords

The left vagus wraps around the arch of the aorta to innervate below the vocal cords

Question 24

Innervation of the Cricothyroid?

Answer 24

External Laryngeal nerve (from CN X)

Question 25

Action of the Cricothyroid?

Answer 25

Stretches and tenses the vocal cords **seen from the front

Question 26

Innervation of the Thyro-arytenoid?

Answer 26

Inferior Laryngeal nerve (terminal part of recurrent laryngeal nerve, from CN X)

Question 27

Action of the Thyro-arytenoid?

Answer 27

Relaxes vocal ligament

Question 28

Innervation of the Posterior crico-arytenoid?

Answer 28

Inferior Laryngeal nerve (terminal part of recurrent laryngeal nerve, from CN X)

Question 29

Action of the Posterior crico-arytenoid?

Answer 29

ABducts vocal folds (ONLY muscle that abducts/moves vocal cords away one another)

Question 30

Innervation of the Posterior Lateral crico-arytenoid?

Answer 30

Inferior Laryngeal nerve (terminal part of recurrent laryngeal nerve, from CN X)

Question 31

Action of the Lateral crico-arytenoid?

Answer 31

ADDucts vocal folds

Question 32

Innervation of the Transverse and Oblique arytenoid?

Answer 32

Inferior Laryngeal nerve (terminal part of recurrent laryngeal nerve, from CN X)

Question 33

Action of the Transverse and Oblique arytenoid?

Answer 33

ADDuct arytenoid cartilages

Question 34

Innervation of the Vocalis?

Answer 34

Inferior Laryngeal nerve (terminal part of recurrent laryngeal nerve, from CN X)

Question 35

Action of the Vocalis?

Answer 35

Relaxes posterior vocal ligament while maintaining (or increasing) tension of anterior part **Used for whispering

Question 36

Only tensor of the vocal cords and only muscle supplied by the external laryngeal nerve?

Answer 36

Cricothyroid

Question 37

Only muscle to do ABDuction?

Answer 37

Posterior Cricoarytenoid

Question 38

Only relaxer of the vocal cords?

Answer 38

Vocalis

Question 39

What are the 3 important nerve and artery pairings in the larynx?

Answer 39

Superior thyroid artery - external laryngeal nerve
Superior laryngeal artery - internal laryngeal nerve
Inferior laryngeal artery - recurrent laryngeal nerve