AN38.1-3 | Larynx — Glossary

Largest laryngeal cartilage; two laminae fuse at the laryngeal prominence (Adam's apple); hyaline cartilage

Only complete ring in the respiratory tract; signet ring shape with narrow anterior arch and broad posterior lamina; at C6 level

Leaf-shaped elastic cartilage that folds down during swallowing to protect the airway; attached to the thyroid cartilage via the thyroepiglottic ligament

Pyramid-shaped paired cartilage on the superior cricoid lamina; vocal process (anterior) attaches the vocal cord; muscular process (lateral) for muscle attachment

Membrane connecting the cricoid to the thyroid cartilage; its free upper edge is the vocal ligament; site of emergency cricothyrotomy

Upper free edge of the conus elasticus/cricothyroid membrane; the structural core of the true vocal cord

Space between the two vocal cords and arytenoid cartilages; the narrowest part of the adult larynx

The ONLY abductor of the vocal cords; opens the glottis; supplied by the RLN; paralysis causes airway obstruction

Only intrinsic laryngeal muscle supplied by the external laryngeal nerve (not RLN); lengthens and tenses the vocal cords

Branch of CN X supplying all intrinsic laryngeal muscles except cricothyroid; right loops under subclavian, left under aortic arch

Branch of CN X dividing into internal (sensory above vocal cords) and external (motor to cricothyroid) branches

Sensory branch of the SLN supplying the laryngeal mucosa above the vocal cords; enters through the thyrohyoid membrane

Motor branch of the SLN supplying the cricothyroid muscle; runs with the superior thyroid artery; at risk during thyroid surgery

Upper compartment of the larynx from the laryngeal inlet to the vestibular folds; rich lymphatic drainage causes early metastasis

Lower compartment from below the vocal cords to the cricoid ring; narrowest part of the paediatric airway

Acute laryngotracheobronchitis causing subglottic oedema within the inelastic cricoid ring; presents with barking cough and stridor in children

Left-sided hoarseness from compression of the left RLN by an enlarged cardiovascular structure (left atrium or aortic aneurysm)

Membrane whose upper free edge forms the aryepiglottic fold and lower free edge forms the vestibular ligament (false cord)

Principle that in progressive RLN lesions, the abductors (posterior cricoarytenoid) are affected before the adductors

Surgical airway created below the cricotracheal membrane, typically between the 2nd-4th tracheal rings

Emergency surgical airway through the cricothyroid membrane; faster than tracheostomy; the membrane is palpable between the thyroid and cricoid cartilages