Corpus: Arytenoid cartilage

The two arytenoid cartilages are part of the cartilaginous framework of the larynx.

The external surface of each cartilage is divided into a cranial triangular fovea and a caudal oblong fovea by an arcuate crest. At its cranial end, there is a small elevation called the colliculus of the arytenoid cartilage. The uppermost point, where the corniculate cartilage attaches, is known as the apex of the arytenoid cartilage.

Each arytenoid cartilage has two processes. The lateral process (processus muscularis) is attached to the lateral cricoarytenoid muscle and the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle. The medial process (processus vocalis) is where the vocal cord (vocal ligament) attaches.

The arytenoid cartilages articulate with the cricoid cartilage through the cricoarytenoid joint, and are stabilized by cricoarytenoid ligaments. This swivel joint allows the arytenoid cartilages to move relative to each other, which, depending on the direction of movement, causes the vocal cords and therefore the glottis to widen or narrow.

The interarytenoid notch is situated between the two cartilages.

• Prometheus LernAtlas - Head, neck and neuroanatomy. (4th edition), Stuttgart: Thieme, 2015