Larynx/Airway Flashcards
At what level of the spine is the upper border of the thyroid cartilage?
Near C4
How is the laryngeal prominence formed?
The fusion of the two halves of the thyroid cartilage
To what structure do most thyroid muscles attach?
The oblique line (inferior constrictor, thyrohyoid, and sternohyoid)
What are the three main attachments of the epiglottis?
The thyroepiglottic ligament, the hyoepiglottic ligament, and the median epiglottic fold (to the tongue)
What two vessels pierce the thyrohyoid membane?
The superior laryngeal artery and the internal laryngeal nerve
What demarcates the laryngeal inlet?
The aryepiglottic folds
What is the laryngeal vestibule?
The space located above the vestibular folds
What is the laryngeal ventricle?
The space between the vestibular and vocal folds
What two ligaments make up the conus elasticus?
Cricothyroid (also attach to vocal process of arytenoids) and median cricothyroid ligament
What are the two functions of the thyroarytenoids?
Pull the arytenoid cartilages anteriorally and to compress the saccule so mucus can bathe the vocal folds
What is the main function of the lateral cricoarytenoid?
Adducts the vocal folds by medially rotating the vocal process
What are the two main blood vessels to the larynx and from where do they come?
Superior laryngeal (from superior thyroid) Inferior laryngeal (from inferior thyroid)
What are the three main nerves that supply the larynx and what are their functions?
Recurrent laryngeal–sensory below the vocal cords and vocal muscles that do not include cricothyroid
External laryngeal–motor to cricothyroid and inferior constrictor
Internal laryngeal–sensory above the vocal folds, parasympathetics to laryngeal glands, epiglottic taste
