Anatomy & Physiology

Larynx is comprised of...

1. cricoid cartilage 2. thyroid cartilage 3. epiglottis cartilage 4. paired arytenoid cartilages 5. paired corniculate cartilages 6. hyoid bone

How does the trachea attach to the larynx?

1. cricotracheal ligament

What connects the Epiglottis to the corpus hyoid and the inner thyroid cartilage, just below the notch?

1. hyorpiglottic ligament 2. thyroepiglottic ligament

What connects the Larynx to the Hyoid bone?

1. median thyrohyoid ligament 2. thyrohyoid membrane 3. lateral thyrohyoid ligament

Cricoid Cartilage

A complete ring resting atop the trachea and is the most inferior of the laryngeal cartilages. From the side it takes on the appearance of a signet ring, with its back arching up relative to the front. It and the thyroid cartilage articulate at the cricothyroid joint.

Epiglottis

A leaf like cartilage that is medial to the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage. It is a protective structure that will drop and cover the orifice of the larynx during swallowing.

Larynx

A musculocartilaginous structure located at the superior (upper) end of the trachea. It sits as an oddly shaped box atop the last ring of the trachea. It is adjacent to cervical vertebrae 4-6 in the adult, but will sit higher in an infant. Avg length M 44mm, F 36mm. It is comprised of three unpaired and three paired cartilages bound by ligaments and lines with mucous membrane.

Median Thyrohyoid Ligament

In front, running from the corpus hyoid to the upper border of the anterior thyroid

What is the epiglottic attachment to the tounge made by?

Means of lateral and median glossoepiglottic ligaments, creating valleculae.

Lateral Thyrohyoid Ligament

Posterior to the thyrohyoid membrane, it runs from the superior cornu of the thyroid to the posterior tip pf the greater cornu hyoid.

Respiration as the source of energy for speech. Phonation is the source of voice for speech.

Respiration is the energy source that permits phonation to occur; without respiration there would be no voicing

Arytenoid Cartilages

Ride on the high-backed upper surface of the cricoid cartilage forming the posterior point of attachment for the vocal cords.

Corniculate Cartliages

Ride on the superior surface of each arytenoid and are prominent landmarks in the aryepiglotic folds. Cuneiform cartilages reside within the aryepiglottic folds

Voiced Phonemes

Speech sounds produced by the action of the vocal folds ex) /z/ or /v/

Voiceless Phonemes

Speech sounds that are produced without the use of vocal cords ex) /s/ or /f/

Thyrohyoid Membrane

Stretches across the space between the greater cornu of the hyoid bone and the lateral thyroid.

Subglottal region

The area below the vocal folds

Thyroid Cartilage

The largest of the laryngeal cartilages. It articulates with the cricoid cartilage below by means of paired processes that let it rock forward and backward at the joint.

Glottis (Rima Glottidis)

The space between the vocal folds

Cricothyroid Joint allows...

The thyroid and cricoid cartilages to articulate, by letting them come closer together in the front

Hyoid Bone

articulates with the thyroid cartilage by means of a pair of superior processes.

Intrinsic Ligaments

connects the cartilages of the larynx and form the support structure for the cavity of the larynx as well as that of the vocal folds.

Aryepiglottic Muscles

course form the side of the epiglottis to the arytenoid apex, forming the upper margin of the quadrangular membranes and laterally, the aryepiglottic folds.

Valleculae

little valleys produces between the tongue and the epiglottis, within folds arising from the lateral and median glossoepiglottic ligaments

Triticeal Cartilage

may or may not be found by the lateral thyrohyoid ligament.

Aryepiglottic Folds

simply the ridges marking the highest elevation of these membranes and muscles slung from the epiglottis to arytenoids.

Pyriform Sinus

the space between the fold of the aryepiglottic membrane and the thyroid catrilage laterally.

Quadrangular Membranes

the underlying layer of connective tissue running from the arytenoids to the epiglottis and thyroid cartilage and forming the false vocal folds. They originate at the inner thyroid angle and sides of the epiglottis and form an upper cone that narrows and terminates in the free margin of the arytenoid and corniculate cartilages.

The fibroelastic membrane of the larynx is composed of...

the upper quadrangular membranes and aryepiglottic folds; the lower cornus elasticus and the vocal ligament, which is actually the upward free extension of the cornus elasticus.

Phonation

voicing; the product of vibrating the vocal folds; this occurs within the larynx