Laryngeal Anatomy

Question 1

What are the biological roles of the larynx?

Answer 1

prevent air from escaping lungs
prevent foreign substances from entering lungs
expel foreign substances threatening trachea

Question 2

What is the purpose of the laryngeal ligaments?

Answer 2

interconnect laryngeal cartilages and help regulate extent and direction of their movements

Question 3

What is the cricovocal membrane?

Answer 3

continuous sheet that connects thyroid, cricoid, and arytenoid cartilages
also called vocal ligament or conus elasticus

Question 4

What is the anterior commissure?

Answer 4

space between vfs where they originate

Question 5

What is the posterior commissure?

Answer 5

space between vfs where they attach to teh cricoid cartilage

Question 6

What are the five intrinsic muscles of the larynx?

Answer 6

thyroarytenoid (thyrovocalis, thyromusclaris)
cricothyroid
posterior cricoarytenoid
lateral cricoarytenoid
interarytenoids (oblique, transverse)

Question 7

Which intrinsic muscle of the larynx abducts the vocal folds?

Answer 7

Posterior cricoarytenoid

Question 8

Which intrinsic muscles of the larynx adduct the vocal folds?

Answer 8

lateral cricoarytenoid, interarytnoids, thyroarytenoid

Question 9

Which intrinsic muscle of the larynx is a tensor?

Answer 9

Cricothyroid

Question 10

Which two ways can the larynx be adjusted?

Answer 10

medial compression - force with which vfs are brought together (TA vs PCA)
longitudinal tension - stretching force (CA vs TA)

Question 11

What are the two parts of the superior laryngeal branch of the vagus nerve?

Answer 11

external

internal

Question 12

What does the external part of the superior laryngeal branch of the vagus nerve innervate?

Answer 12

motor, supplies cricothyroid and part of inferior pharyngeal constrictor

Question 13

What does the internal part of the superior laryngeal branch of the vagus nerve innervate?

Answer 13

sensory, supplies some mucous membranes of tongue and pharynx

Question 14

What does the recurrent laryngeal branch of the vagus nerve innervate?

Answer 14

all intrinsic laryngeal muscles except cricothyroid, subglottal laryngeal mucosa (sensory), trachea and esophagus (sensory and motor)

Question 15

damage to the pharyngeal plexus results in what results?

Answer 15

hypernasal resonance, nasal air emission

Question 16

damage to the superior laryngeal nerve results in what?

Answer 16

impaired pitch range, laryngeal penetration without response

Question 17

damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerve results in what results?

Answer 17

excessive breathiness, reduced intensity, irregular VF vibration, silent aspiration

Question 18

What are the five layers of the vocal folds?

Answer 18

epithilium, superficial layer, intermediate layer, deep layer, muscle

Question 19

What are the three layers of the vfs?

Answer 19

mucosa, ligament, muscle

Question 20

What are the two layers of the vfs?

Answer 20

cover, body

Question 21

What is different about children’s vocal folds?

Answer 21

does not vibrate as easily – more effort to produce voice; three layers not present until 15 years

Question 22

What is different about geriatric vfs?

Answer 22

looser layers atrophy and become thinner, deep layer becomes thicker

Question 23

What are the extrinsic muscles of the larynx?

Answer 23

digastric, stylohyoid, mylohyoid, geniohyoid, sternohyoid, omohyoid