Larynx Flashcards
What are the single cartilages of the neck?
Epiglottis
Thyroid
Cricoid
What are the paired cartilages of the neck?
Arytenoid
Corniculate
Cuneiform
What is the location of the larynx?
C3 - C6
Why is C6 a significant landmark?
C6 is where the pharynx becomes the esophagus and where the larynx becomes the trachea.
How is the epiglottis attached to the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage?
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
What 2 folds cover the laryngeal inlet?
2 aryepiglottic folds in the esophagus
What is the SECOND most common site for foreign objects to become lodged?
The vallecullae is the SECOND most common site for foreign objects to become lodged
What is the technical name of the Adam’s apple?
Adam’s Apple is the laryngeal prominence
Angle of the laryngeal prominence in men?
In males it has an angle of 90 degrees
Angle of the laryngeal prominence in women?
In females it has an angle of 120 degrees
How does the angle of the laryngeal prominence affect the voice?
The differences in angle affect the pitch of the voice
What is the function of the thyrohyoid membrane and what passes through it?
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.
What are the joints of the cricoid cartilage?
Cricoarytenoid joint - between the 2 arytenoids
Cricothyroid joint - articulates with the thyroid cartilage
Where do the vocal cords attach?
Arytenoid cartilage
Where is the quadrangular membrane?
Stretched between the epiglottis and arytenoids
Where are the upper and lower edges quadrangular membrane?
Upper free edge is the aryepiglottic folds
Lower free edge is the vestibular ligament (false vocal cord)
What forms from the upper free edge of the cricothyroid ligament?
Upper free edge forms the vocal ligament (true vocal cord)
Name the primary site for lodging things in the larynx.
Piriform recess at either side of the laryngeal inlet
What is at risk of damage when removing a foreign body from the piriform process?
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
What motor innervates the muscles of the larynx?
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
Sensory innervation and blood supply of the muscles ABOVE the vocal cords is done by the:
Superior laryngeal artery (branch of superior thyroid artery) and internal laryngeal nerve (branch of superior laryngeal of vagus (X)
(pierce the thyrohyoid membrane)
Sensory innervation and blood supply of the muscles BELOW the vocal cords is done by the:
Inferior laryngeal artery (branch of inferior thyroid artery) and recurrent laryngeal nerve (branch of vagus (X)
Difference between the left and right recurrent laryngeal?
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
Innervation of the Cricothyroid?
External Laryngeal nerve (from CN X)
Action of the Cricothyroid?
Stretches and tenses the vocal cords **seen from the front
Innervation of the Thyro-arytenoid?
Inferior Laryngeal nerve (terminal part of recurrent laryngeal nerve, from CN X)
Action of the Thyro-arytenoid?
Relaxes vocal ligament
Innervation of the Posterior crico-arytenoid?
Inferior Laryngeal nerve (terminal part of recurrent laryngeal nerve, from CN X)
Action of the Posterior crico-arytenoid?
ABducts vocal folds (ONLY muscle that abducts/moves vocal cords away one another)
Innervation of the Posterior Lateral crico-arytenoid?
Inferior Laryngeal nerve (terminal part of recurrent laryngeal nerve, from CN X)
Action of the Lateral crico-arytenoid?
ADDucts vocal folds
Innervation of the Transverse and Oblique arytenoid?
Inferior Laryngeal nerve (terminal part of recurrent laryngeal nerve, from CN X)
Action of the Transverse and Oblique arytenoid?
ADDuct arytenoid cartilages
Innervation of the Vocalis?
Inferior Laryngeal nerve (terminal part of recurrent laryngeal nerve, from CN X)
Action of the Vocalis?
Relaxes posterior vocal ligament while maintaining (or increasing) tension of anterior part **Used for whispering
Only tensor of the vocal cords and only muscle supplied by the external laryngeal nerve?
Cricothyroid
Only muscle to do ABDuction?
Posterior Cricoarytenoid
Only relaxer of the vocal cords?
Vocalis
What are the 3 important nerve and artery pairings in the larynx?
Superior thyroid artery - external laryngeal nerve
Superior laryngeal artery - internal laryngeal nerve
Inferior laryngeal artery - recurrent laryngeal nerve
