PHARYNX and LARYNX
Muscles of Pharynx
Meet posteriorly at pharyngeal raphe.
 Overlap constrictor muscles above.
 Lateral gaps occur between constrictor
muscles anteriorly.
 Used in swallowing.

Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor

Gap above constrictor:
Closed by pharyngobasilar fascia.
Traversed by auditory tube.
Forms tonsilar bed
Middle Pharyngeal Constrictor

Gap above middle constrictor:
Traversed by:
Stylopharyngeus muscle.
Glossopharyngeal nerve.
Innervation and Blood Supply of
Pharynx

Innervation:
Vagus nerve via pharyngeal plexus:
Except stylopharyngeus.
Recurrent laryngeal nerves to lower part of
inferior constrictor.

Blood supply:
Ascending pharyngeal artery.
Laryngeal Skeleton: Thyroid
Thyrohyoid membrane.
 Cricothyroid membrane.
 Laminae:

Superior thyroid notch.
Meet at:
90 degrees in male.
120 degrees in female.
Superior and inferior horns.
Laryngeal Skeleton: Cricoid

Lies at level of cervical vertebra 6.
Laryngeal Skeleton: Arytenoid
Paired.
 Sit on superior surface of cricoid.
 Support corniculate cartilage.
 Processes:

Muscular.
Vocal:
Attachment for vocal ligament.
Laryngeal Skeleton: Epiglottis

Attached to thyroid cartilage:
Via thyro-epiglottic ligament.

Mucosa on surface extends onto tongue and
walls of oropharynx:
Median glosso-epiglottic fold.
Lateral pharyngo-epiglottic folds.

Valleculae:
Valleys on either side of glosso-epiglottic fold.
Common sites for lodgement.
Laryngeal Skeleton

Other cartilages:
Corniculate.
Cuneiform.
Laryngeal Cavity and Folds
Characterized by superior and inferior
pairs of folds.
 Vestibule:

Lies between vestibular folds.

Vestibular Folds:
False vocal cords.
Rima vestibuli:
Space between vestibular folds.
Laryngeal Cavity and Folds

Ventricular folds:
True vocal cords.
Vocal ligaments.
Rima glottidis:
Space between vocal folds.
Narrowest part of laryngeal cavity.
Opens and closes to regulate passage of air.
Laryngeal Cavity and Folds

Infraglottic cavity:
Lies between ventricular folds and lower
border of cricoid cartilage.
Continuous inferiorly with trachea.
Innervation of Larynx

Vagus nerve:
External laryngeal branch:
To cricothyroid muscle.
Inferior laryngeal branch:
All remaining muscles of the larynx.
Sensory to mucosa of larynx below vocal folds.
Internal laryngeal branch:
Sensory to mucosa above vocal folds.
Sensory to piriform recess and valleculae.
Can be anesthetized in floor of piriform recess.
Blood Supply of Larynx

Superior laryngeal artery:
From superior thyroid artery.

Inferior laryngeal artery:
Branch of inferior thyroid artery.
Piriform Recess

Part of laryngopharynx lateral to larynx:
Lateral boundary:
Thyrohyoid membrane and thyroid cartilage.
Medial boundary:
Aryepiglottic fold; arytenoid and cricoid
cartilages.
Site of lodgement.