Anatomy of the larynx and trachea

The cervical viscera are composed of three layers named after their primary function.

The most superficial layer is the endocrine layer which contains the thyroid and parathyroid glands, then there’s the respiratory layer which contains the larynx and trachea and finally, the deepest layer is the alimentary layer which contains the pharynx and esophagus.

Focusing on the respiratory layer of the cervical viscera, this contains the larynx and trachea that routes air to the lungs, and gives everyone their own unique voice and saying that just made me aware of my own voice on this video recording!

So, let’s start with the larynx which is responsible for voice production and maintaining a patent airway.

The larynx is located in the anterior neck at the level of the bodies of the C3 to C6 vertebrae and connects the inferior part of the pharynx with the trachea. It also contains the vocal cords, or vocal folds, so it’s responsible for voice production.

Now, the larynx has a skeleton which is hardly a skeleton; rather, it’s formed of nine cartilages: thyroid, cricoid and epiglottic cartilages which are single and arytenoid, corniculate and cuneiform cartilages which come in pairs of two.

The thyroid cartilage is the largest cartilage and its superior border lies opposite the C4 vertebra.

It’s formed by two plate-like laminae which unite in the middle to form the laryngeal prominence also known as the Adam’s apple, which is well marked in males and less visible in females.

Superior to this prominence, the laminae diverge to form a V-shaped notch called the superior thyroid notch, and in the middle of the inferior border of the cartilage, a shallow indentation can be found called the inferior thyroid notch.