The Larynx And Hypopharynx Flashcards
What are the three principal cartilages of the larynx?
The soft tissue of the larynx are draped over the supporting cartilaginous framework of the cricoid, thyroid, and arytenoid cartilages.
What cartilage serves as a lid to they laryngealy “box”?
Epiglottis cartilage
It is the largest laryngeal cartilage.
Thyroid cartilage
The superior aspect of the thyroid cartilage is indented you a V-shaped thyroid notch, called what?
Superior thyroid notch
This notch can appear on axial imaging to represent destroyed cartilage if laryngeal tumor is present.
What are the landmarks that signal the transition from the oropharynx above to the larynx and hypopharynx below?
Glossoepiglottic and pharyngoepiglottic folds
This is the only complete ring in the endolarynx and trachea.
Cricoid cartilage
It provides stability to the cartilaginous edifice of the larynx with its structural integrity.
What are the two portions of the cricoid cartilage?
The posterior lamina and the anterior arch.
These are paired, pyramidal cartilages that sit atop the posterior cricoid cartilage lamina.
Arytenoid cartilages
These are anterior projections of the arytenoid cartilage.
Vocal processes
The posterior margins of the vocal cords attach to the vocal processes.
When the upper margin of the cricoid cartilage is imaged simultaneously with the arytenoid cartilage in the axial plane, the ________ level is imaged.
The true vocal cord
The endolarynx can be subdivided into what compartments?
Supraglottis, glottis, and subglottis.
This extends from the tip of the epiglottis above to the laryngeal ventricles below.
Supraglottis
Components of the supraglottis include what?
Vestibule Epiglottis Pre-epiglottic space Aryepoglottic folds False vocal cords Paraglottic (paralaryngeal) space Arytenoid cartilage
This is the air space within the supraglottic larynx.
Laryngeal vestibule
The epiglottis is a leaf-shaped cartilage that functions as a lid to the endolaryngeal “box”.
The “stem” of this leaf, which attaches the epiglottis to the thyroid lamina, is called what?
Petiole.
The petiole attaches to the thyroid cartilage via the thyroepiglottic ligament.
The epiglottis is attached to the hyoid bone via _________.
The hyoepiglottic ligament.
The ridge of mucous membrane over the hyoepiglottic ligament is called what?
Glossoepiglottic fold
This fold sits in the midline between the valleculae.
These represents the mucosal surfaces of the laryngeal vestibule of the supraglottis.
False vocal cords
Beneath the false vocal cords are the paired paraglottic spaces.
The arytenoid cartilage spans the supraglottis and glottis, although most of the cartilage is in the supraglottis.
The tissue projecting from the cephalad tip of the arytenoid cartilages to the inferolateral margin of the epiglottis is called what?
Aryepiglottic fold
This fold represents the superolateral margin of the supraglottis, separating it from the pyriform sinus (i.e., hypopharynx)
What are the two spaces of the endolarynx where submucosa squamous cell carcinoma most frequently hides?
Are these two spaces separated by fascia border?
Paraglottic and pre-epiglottis spaces.
No fascia divides these two spaces. Consequently, SCCa can travel freely from one to the other.
This includes the true vocal cords and both the anterior and posterior commissures.
Glottis
These are the only soft-tissue structures in the glottis region.
True vocal cords
This represents the midline, anterior meeting point of the true vocal cords.
Anterior commissure
This is the mucosal surface on the anterior surface of the cricoid cartilage between the arytenoid cartilages.
Posterior commissure
This extends from the undersurface of the true vocal cords above the inferior surface of the cricoid cartilage.
Subglottis
