L19: Larynx Flashcards

1
Q

What are the cartilages of the larynx? Which are single, which are paired?

A
  • Thyroid: single - Cricoid: single - Epiglottic: single - Arytenoid: paired - Corniculate: paired - Cuneiform: paired
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2
Q

Structures of thyroid cartilage

A
  • Laryngeal prominence: two quadrilateral laminae open posteriorly and fuse anteriorly to form this - Thyroid notch: V-shaped structure formed by superior laryngeal prominence - Superior and inferior horns: are posterior border projections
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3
Q

What is the posterior part of the cricoid cartilage called? Anterior part?

A
  • Posterior part = lamina – arytenoid cartilage sits on top of this - Anterior part = arch
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4
Q

What is the structure that connects the inferior end of the epiglottic cartilage to the thyroid cartilage?

A
  • Thyroepiglottic ligament
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5
Q

Describe the arytenoid cartilage

A
  • Pyramidal cartilage with anterior processes known as vocal processes - Lateral processes known as muscular processes - Apex = superior portion - Base = inferior portion
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6
Q

What are the two cartilages found in the aryepiglottic fold? What is the function?

A
  • Corniculate (sits on apex of arytenoid cartilage) - Cuneiform - They both support the aryepiglottic fold
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7
Q

Joints of larynx

A
  • Cricothyroid: synovial joint bw inferior horn of thyroid and lateral surface of cricoid cartilage - Cricoarytenoid: synovial joint bw base of arytenoid cartilage and superior lamina of cricoid cartilage
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8
Q

What movement occurs at cricothyroid joint?

A
  • Rotation and gliding between thyroid and cricoid cartilage
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9
Q

What movement occurs at the cricoarytenoid joint?

A
  • Sliding, tilting anterior and posterior, rotatory
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10
Q

This ligaments suspends the larynx

A
  • Thyrohyoid membrane
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11
Q

What structures pierce the thyrohyoid membrane?

A
  • Internal laryngeal nerve (from vagus) and superior laryngeal artery (from superior thyroid of external carotid)
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12
Q

What is the ligament connecting the cricoid cartilage to the thyroid cartilage?

A
  • Cricothyroid ligament
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13
Q

How is an emergency cricothyroidectomy performed?

A
  • Find the thyroid notch - Move inferiorly to find the cricothyroid ligament (superior to cricoid cartilage) - Save a life
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14
Q

What is the ligament connecting the cricoid cartilage to the first tracheal ring?

A
  • Cricotracheal ligament
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15
Q

What are ligaments beneath the first tracheal ring called?

A
  • Tracheal ligaments
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16
Q

What are the ligaments found in the “lumen” of the larynx?

A
  • Vocal ligament/fold – extends from junction of laminae of thyroid cartilage (ant) to the vocal processes of arytenoid cartilage (post). These are true vocal cords - Vestibular ligament/fold – free edges of quadrangular membrane. These are false vocal cords
17
Q

What is the quadrangular membrane?

A
  • Thin submucosal sheet of CT extending from arytenoid cartilage to epiglottic cartilage and covered by aryepiglottic fold. Free edges of this membrane create the vestibular ligament / fold, which are the false vocal cords
18
Q

What is the conus elasticus?

A
  • Elastic membrane extending from cricoid cartilage of the vocal ligament, which consists of median cricothyroid ligament, vocal ligament and cricothyroid ligament
19
Q

3 Compartment of larynx

A
  • Vestibule (superior to vestibular folds) - Ventricle (cavity on the lateral walls bw vestibular and vocal folds) - Infraglottic cavity (bw vocal folds and inferior border of the cricoid cartilage)
20
Q

What is the opening between the vocal folds known as?

A
  • Rima glottidis
21
Q

What is the glottis?

A
  • Vocal folds, rima glottidis and narrow part of larynx as level of vocal folds. Think about drawing a horizontal line through vocal folds.
22
Q

What is the opening between the vestibular folds known as?

A
  • Rima vestibuli
23
Q

What occurs at the rima vestibuli?

A
  • Closes during swallowing to prevent food from entering larynx
24
Q

Muscles of larynx. Function?

A
  • Infrahyoid muscles: depress hyoid bone and therefore larynx, creating low pitch voices - Suprahyoid muscles: elevate hyoid bone and therefore larynx, creating high pitch voices - Transverse arytenoid (only unpaired): close laryngeal outlet, reinforce adducting vocal cords - Oblique arytenoid: close laryngeal outlet - Lateral cricoarytenoid: adduct vocal cords - Posterior cricoarytenoid: abduct vocal cords - Cricothyroid: tense vocal cords - Thyroarytenoid: relax vocal cords - Vocalis - Thyroepiglottus: widens laryngeal inlet
25
Q

What muscles close the laryngeal inlet?

A
  • Transverse arytenoid (unpaired) - Oblique arytenoid
26
Q

What muscles widen the laryngeal inlet?

A
  • Thyroepiglottus
27
Q

What muscles adduct the vocal cords?

A
  • Lateral cricothyroid (reinforced by transverse artenoid)
28
Q

What muscles abduct the vocal cords?

A
  • Posterior cricoarytenoid
29
Q

What muscles cause low pitch voices?

A
  • Infrahyoid muscles
30
Q

What muscles cause high pitch voices?

A
  • Suprahyoird muscles
31
Q

What muscles tense the vocal cords?

A
  • Cricothyroid
32
Q

What muscles relax the vocal cords?

A
  • Thyroarytenoid
33
Q

Blood supply to larynx

A
  • Superior and inferior laryngeal artery (branches from superior and inferior thyroid arteries, which originate from external carotid and thyrocervical trunks (off subclavian) respectively)
34
Q

Innervation of larynx. Describe branches and what they innervate

A
  • Vagus – CNX
    1. )Superior laryngeal nerve branches into internal laryngeal and external laryngeal
    a. )Internal laryngeal (sensory only) supplies mucous membranes superior to vocal folds
    b. )External laryngeal (motor only) innervates cricothyroid muscle
    2. )Recurrent laryngeal nerve (sensory and motor) loops under subclavian on right and aortic arch on left
  • Innervates all intrinsic laryngeal muscles (so, no cricothyroid innervation)
  • Innervates mucous membranes inferior to vocal folds
35
Q

What are the branches of the superior laryngeal nerve? Motor, sensory or both?

A
  • Internal laryngeal: sensory - External laryngeal: motor
36
Q

Is recurrent laryngeal nerve motor or sensory?

A
  • Both
37
Q

What nerve supplies the intrinsic muscles of the larynx?

A
  • Recurrent laryngeal nerve innervates all intrinsic laryngeal muscles, with exception of cricothyroid
  • Cricothyroid muscle is supplied by external laryngeal
38
Q

Describe difference between larynx between males and females/children?

A
  • Shorter in women and children, slightly more superior - Men have longer, ant to vertebral bodies C3-6
39
Q

What nerve innervates mucous membrane of larynx?

A
  • Mucous membranes superior to vocal folds innervated by internal laryngeal nerve
  • Mucous membranes inferior to vocal folds innervated by recurrent laryngeal nerve