---
title: "Larynx Anatomy - Cartilages, Ligaments, Membranes, and Joints"
description: "A guide to the cartilages, ligaments and membranes, joints of Larynx for medical students and ENT residents."
source: "The ENT Resident"
author: "Dr. Mausumi Das"
canonical_url: "https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/larynx-anatomy-cartilages-ligaments"
categories: ["Larynx and Trachea"]
video: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Mq-BxKctsU"
image: "https://media.theentresident.com/og-images/larynx-anatomy-cartilages-ligaments.png"
---

# Larynx Anatomy - Cartilages, Ligaments, Membranes, and Joints

A guide to the cartilages, ligaments and membranes, joints of Larynx for medical students and ENT residents. Watch the full video lecture on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Mq-BxKctsU

## 🧠 Anatomy of the Larynx – Part 2: Cartilages, Ligaments, Membranes, and Joints

### 🦴 Laryngeal Cartilages
The laryngeal framework consists of six cartilages:
- **Three unpaired**: Epiglottis, Thyroid cartilage, Cricoid cartilage
- **Three paired**: Arytenoid, Corniculate, and Cuneiform cartilages

#### 🔹 **1- Epiglottis**

- **Type**: Elastic fibrocartilage  

- **Shape**: Thin, leaf-like  

- **Location**: Forms the anterior wall of the laryngeal inlet; projects behind the tongue and hyoid bone  

- **Attachments**:  
  - **Inferior**: Thyroepiglottic ligament (to thyroid cartilage below thyroid notch)  
  - **Anterior**: Hyoepiglottic ligament (to hyoid bone)  
  - **Lateral**: Aryepiglottic folds (to arytenoid apex)  
  - **Posterior surface**: Reflects mucosa to tongue forming median and lateral glossoepiglottic folds  

- **Surfaces**:  

  - **Anterior (lingual)**  
  - **Posterior (laryngeal)**  

>What is Pre-epiglottic Space of Boyer? What is it's clinical importance?

>Why is viewing the anterior commissure difficult while performing indirect laryngoscopy?

#### **🔹 2- Thyroid Cartilage**

- **Largest of all laryngeal cartilages**  

- **Structure**: Two laminae fused in the midline (forming the Adam's apple)  

- **Angle**: 90° in males, 120° in females  

- **Processes**:  

  - **Superior Cornu**  
  - **Inferior Cornu**  

- **Attachments**:  

  - **Outer surface**: Oblique line → thyrohyoid, sternothyroid, inferior constrictor  

  - **Inner surface**:  
    - **Above**: Thyroepiglottic ligament  
    - **Midzone**: Vocal and vestibular ligaments, thyroarytenoid and vocalis muscles  

  - **Borders**:  
    - **Superior**: Thyrohyoid membrane  
    - **Inferior**: Cricothyroid ligament  

#### **🔹 3- Cricoid Cartilage**

- **Only complete ring in the airway**  

- **Structure**: Broad lamina posteriorly, narrow arch anteriorly  

- **Articulations**:  

  - Cricothyroid joint  
  - Cricoarytenoid joint  

- **Attachments**:  
  - **Ligaments**: Cricotracheal, cricothyroid, and cricovocal  
  - **Muscles**:  
    - **Posterior surface**: Posterior cricoarytenoid  
    - **Midline ridge**: Longitudinal pharyngeal muscles  

>What is the key **functional unit** of larynx?

#### 🔹 **4- Arytenoid Cartilage**

- **Shape**: Pyramidal with base and apex  

- **Processes**:  

  - Vocal process  
  - Muscular process  

- **Surfaces**:  

  - Anterolateral  
  - Medial  
  - Posterior  
  - Base  
  - Apex  

>What are the attachments of different parts of Arytenoid cartilage?

#### 🔹 **5- Corniculate Cartilage**

- **Also called**: Cartilage of Santorini  

- **Shape**: Small conical nodules located in the posterior part of aryepiglottic fold  

- **Articulates with** Apex of arytenoid  

#### 🔹 **6- Cuneiform Cartilage**

- **Also called**: Cartilage of Wrisberg  

- **Shape**: Elongated, rod-shaped  

- **Location**: Lies in aryepiglottic fold; provides structural support  

---

### 🧵 Ligaments and Membranes of the Larynx

#### 🔗 **Extrinsic Ligaments** (connect larynx to external structures):

- **Thyrohyoid Membrane**: Between thyroid cartilage and hyoid.

>What structures pierce the Thyrohyoid membrane?

- **Cricotracheal Ligament**: Connects cricoid cartilage to first tracheal ring.  

- **Hyoepiglottic Ligament**: Connects hyoid to epiglottis, divides epiglottis into suprahyoid and infrahyoid parts.  

#### 🔗 **Intrinsic Ligaments** (connect internal laryngeal cartilages):

These form the fibroelastic membrane beneath the mucosa, subdivided into:

**1- Quadrangular Membrane**:  

   - From epiglottis → arytenoids  
   - Lower margin → forms vestibular ligament (false vocal cord)  
   - Upper margin → aryepiglottic fold  

**2- Cricovocal Membrane**:  
   - From cricoid → thyroid cartilage  
   - Upper free border → vocal ligament (true vocal cord)  
   - Together with its counterpart forms the Conus Elasticus  
   - Anterior thickening → Cricothyroid ligament  

**3- Thyroepiglottic Ligament**: Connects thyroid cartilage to epiglottis.  

---

### ⚙️ Joints of Larynx

#### 🔸 **1- Cricoarytenoid Joint**

- **Location**: Formed between the base of the arytenoid cartilage and a facet on the upper border of the lamina of the cricoid cartilage, enclosed by a capsular ligament.  

- **Type**: Synovial joint  

- **Movements**:  
  - **Rotatory Movement** (around a vertical axis)  
  - **Gliding (Sliding) Movement**  

#### 🔸 **2- Cricothyroid Joint**

- **Location**: Formed between the inferior cornu of the thyroid cartilage and a facet on the side of the cricoid cartilage. 

- **Type**: Synovial joint  

- **Movement**: Allows rotational movement of the cricoid cartilage around a transverse axis.  

---

### ✅ Summary Table

| Joint | Type | Formed Between | Movements | Function |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cricoarytenoid | Synovial | Arytenoid base + Cricoid lamina facet | Rotation (abduction/adduction), Gliding | Opens/closes vocal folds & glottis |
| Cricothyroid | Synovial | Inferior cornu of thyroid + Cricoid facet | Rotation (transverse axis) | Adjusts vocal cord tension (pitch) |

---

## About This Note

This free ENT note on Larynx Anatomy - Cartilages, Ligaments, Membranes, and Joints was written by Dr. Mausumi Das and is paired with a corresponding video lecture.

Canonical page of this note: https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/larynx-anatomy-cartilages-ligaments

When citing or referencing this content, please credit The ENT Resident and link to the canonical page above.

## Related Notes by Category

- Larynx and Trachea: https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/category/larynx-and-trachea.md

## About The ENT Resident

The ENT Resident is an educational website and resource library created by Dr. Mausumi Das (MS ENT) for ENT residents, ENT postgraduates preparing for exams, and MBBS students.

Dr. Mausumi Das writes the notes, draws the diagrams, and records the lectures herself.

Browse all ENT notes and lectures on The ENT Resident: https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures.md

## Medical-use Boundary

The ENT Resident provides educational material for medical learning and revision. It does not provide patient-specific medical advice, diagnosis, or emergency care, and it is not a substitute for evaluation by a qualified healthcare professional.

## More Resources

- Learn about the Premium ENT Notes, preview a complete sample, and find purchase options: https://www.theentresident.com/premium.md
- Premium note for this topic, Larynx Anatomy - Cartilages, Ligaments, Membranes, and Joints: https://theentresident.gumroad.com/l/kwoctf
- Buy Complete Notes on Anatomy of Larynx: https://theentresident.gumroad.com/l/anatomyoflarynx
- Read student testimonials: https://www.theentresident.com/testimonials.md
- Contact The ENT Resident: https://www.theentresident.com/contact.md

---

A complete index of all pages on this site, with descriptions and markdown links can be found here: https://www.theentresident.com/llms.txt