laryng 1

Question 1

what is the larynx made of? (3)

Answer 1

• cartilage
• muscle
• ligaments

Question 2

what is behind the larynx?

Answer 2

the esophagus

Question 3

what are the 5 main functions of the larynx?

Answer 3

1. Allowing air passage into lungs
2. Protection of airway
3. Coughing
4. Stabilizing thoracic cavity during force exertion
5. Voice production

Question 4

name the 6 cartilages of the larynx + indicate if they’re paired or not

Answer 4

1. thyroid cartilage (unpaired)
2. cricoid cartilage (unpaired)
3. epiglottis (unpaired)
4. arytenoid cartilage (paired)
5. corniculate cartilage (paired)
6. cuneiform cartilage (paired)

Question 5

what suspends the larynx superiorly? inferiorly?

Answer 5

• superiorly: hyoid bone
• inferiorly: trachea

Question 6

parts of thyroid cartilage? (7)

Answer 6

1. lamina (plates – incompletely fused at superior end)
2. superior thyroid notch
3. laryngeal prominence (adam’s apple)
4. superior horn
5. inferior horn
6. oblique line (gives attachment to things)
7. anterior commissure (where VFs attach)

Question 7

parts of cricoid cartilage? (4)

Answer 7

1. lamina
2. arch
3. articular facets for arytenoid cartilage
4. articular facets for thyroid cartilage

Question 8

where is the cricoid cartilage relative to thyroid cartilage? what does it articulate with?

Answer 8

• inferior
• with inferior horns of thyroid cartilage

Question 9

what attaches the cricoid cartilage to the trachea?

Answer 9

cricotracheal ligament

Question 10

which muscles does the cricoid cartilage serve as the attachment point for? (3)

Answer 10

1. lateral cricoarytenoid muscles
2. posterior cricoarytenoid muscles
3. cricothyroid muscle

Question 11

when is a cricothyroidotomy performed?

Answer 11

when intubation is not possible

Question 12

where are the arytenoid cartilages located?

Answer 12

on lateral superior borders of cricoid cartilage

Question 13

parts of arytenoid cartilages? (4)

Answer 13

1. apex
2. vocal process (anterior)
3. muscular process (lateral)
4. cricoarytenoid joints

Question 14

which cartilages have no obvious function? (2) where is each located?

Answer 14

1. corniculate: apex of arytenoid cartilages (horn)
2. cuneiform: in aryepiglottic folds (wedge)

aka vestigial cartilages

Question 15

function of epiglottis?

Answer 15

covers laryngeal vestibule and directs food posteriorly to esophagus during swallowing

Question 16

what does the epiglottis attach to? (2)

Answer 16

• thyroid cartilage
• hyoid

Question 17

what is the bottom pointy part of the epiglottis called?

Answer 17

stalk

Question 18

what attaches the epiglottis to the hyoid?

Answer 18

hyo-epiglottic ligament

Question 19

what do extrinsic ligaments attach?

Answer 19

a) larynx cartilage + hyoid
b) larynx cartilage + trachea

Question 20

what are the 3 thyrohyoid membranes/ligaments? what does each attach?

Answer 20

1. Thyrohyoid membrane: Superior thyroid cartilage + hyoid bone
2. Lateral thyrohyoid ligament: Superior horn of the thyroid ??? to the hyoid bone.
3. Median thyrohyoid ligament: Thyroid notch to hyoid body.

Question 21

what does the cricotracheal membrane connect?

Answer 21

cricoid + first tracheal ring

Question 22

what does the hyo-epiglottic ligament connect?

Answer 22

anterior epiglottis + hyoid

Question 23

what do the median and lateral glossoepiglottic ligaments attach? what does this form?

Answer 23

• tongue + epiglottis
• forms vallecula (pool liquid)

Question 24

what does the quadrangular membrane form?

Answer 24

• vestibular ligament at bottom
• aryepiglottic folds at top

Question 25

what do the median cricothyroid ligament and lateral cricothyroid ligament (conus elasticus) form?

Answer 25

vocal ligament

Question 26

what do aryepiglottic folds connect?

Answer 26

arytenoids to epiglottis

Question 27

what is the vocal vs ventricular ligament?

Answer 27

- vocal: Anterior commissure of thyroid to vocal procartilagecess of arytenoid - ventricular: Thyroid cartilage to anterior surface of arytenoid

Question 28

what is meant by supra-glottal vs glottal vs sub-glottal space?

Answer 28

- supra: laryngeal vestibule - glottal: at VFs - sub: continuous with trachea

Question 29

what is the aditus? how is it set? what is it bounded by?

Answer 29

- passageway of larynx - oblique / posteriorly - bounded anteriorly by epiglottis, on each side by aryepiglottic folds, inferiorly by interarytenoid fold

Question 30

where is the vestibule?

Answer 30

above VFs (visible when epiglottis is up)

Question 31

where is the ventricle?

Answer 31

between quadrangular membrane and conus elasticus

Question 32

food may pool in the valleculae at the front of the throat. where may food pool in the back of your throat?

Answer 32

pyriform sinuses