Larynx

Anatomy

Voice box, sound generator, in front of neck, level C3-6, between lower (hypo-) pharynx and trachea; extends from tip of epiglottis to inferior border cricoid; hyoid bone above not anatomically part but connected, intimately associated; skeleton of 9 cartilages (connected by muscles/ligaments); single – epiglottic, thyroid (rocks back and forth on cricoid, adjusts vocal fold tension), cricoid; paired – arytenoids (swivel ie adduct/abduct to alter vocal cord separation, move forward/back to adjust tension, corniculate, cuneiform; larynx internally divided into supra-, sub-, glottis; epiglottis folds over glottis (which contains vocal folds with striated/voluntary muscle) to prevent aspiration of swallowed material bound for esophagus.

Clinical

Vocal folds longer in males, and laryngeal prominence (angle of thyroid cartilage) more prominent (Adam’s apple).

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