The Larynx Flashcards
What is the function of the larynx?
It is a component of the respiratory tract important for ventilation (when partially or fully open)
Phonation (when slightly open) including voice production and articulation
Sphincteric function (when fully closed)
Protective of the lower respiratory tract during swallowing
Role in protective reflexes e.g cough
Fixation of thorax
Regulation of abdominal pressure – micturation, defaecation, parturition
What is the anatomical position of the larynx?
Larynx is located in the anterior compartment of the neck, suspended from the hyoid bone, spanning between C3 and C6.
It is continuous inferiorly with the trachea, and opens superiorly into the laryngeal part of the pharynx
Posterior to the larynx is the oesophagus
Thyroid Cartilage
