Anatomy of Larynx and Pharynx

Nasywa Azzahra S. - 2306173731

Structure and borders of the three regions of the pharynx with various anatomical structures present in these area

Structure and topography of cartilage component of the larynx

Structure and topography of cartilage component of trachea

Anatomical structures involved in speech and sound production

Oropharynx

Laryngopharynx

Nasopharynx

Borders : superiorly--skull base, anteriorly--nasal cavity, posteriorly--posterior pharyngeal wall, inferiorly--soft palate, laterally--the medial pterygoid plates and superior pharyngeal constrictor muscles (surrounded by visceral fascia)

Connection : connects nasal cavity to oropharynx

Location : most superior part of the pharynx

Structures : contains eustachian tube openings and adenoids, has a width of about 2 cm in the anterior-posterior direction and a height of around 4 cm

Oral part of the pharynx, spreads from the soft palate to the upper margin of the epiglottis and has four walls (anterior, two lateral and posterior)

Boundaries : anterior wall--defined by pharyngeal aspect of tongue, lateral walls--marked by palatopharyngeal arches and palatine tonsils

Starts at the upper border of the epiglottis and extends down to the lower border of the cricoid cartilage, merging with the esophagus

Functions as a passage for both food/water and air, lined with stratified squamous epithelium

Structure of larynx is composed of several cartilages :

Three large unpaired cartilages; cricoid cartilage (hyaline cartilage fully encircles trachea), thyroid cartilage (largest cartilage of larynx, composed of hyaline cartilage), epiglottis (conical cartilage, serves as cap for larynx)

Three pairs of smaller cartilages; arytenoid cartilages (pyramidal in shape with three surfaces), corniculate cartilages (located on superior aspect of arytenoid cartilages), cuneiform cartilages (small club-shaped, lie superior and anterior to corniculate cartilages)

Trachea is a D-shaped fibrocartilaginous respiratory organ that plays a crucial role in transporting air in and out of the lungs during breathing

Structure of trachea

Anatomy of pharynx and larynx muscles

Pharynx

Larynx

Oral cavity : one of resonating chambers of vocal tract, plays crucial role in shaping the sounds produced

Alveolar ridge : if you use the tip of the tongue to block airflow at the alveolar ridge, you get the sounds [t] and [d], [l] and [n] also [s] and [z] can originate from here

Nasal cavity : one of the resonating chambers of vocal tract, involved in producing nasal sounds ; /m/ and /n/

Velum : acts as gatekeeper to nasal cavity, essential in producing [k] and [g] sounds

Tongue : ne of the most active articulators in the vocal tract and is involved in the production of a wide range of speech sounds

Epiglottiss : functions as an articulator in the production of pharyngeal consonants and in the vowel [a], also helps in whispering

Tongue tip : involved in production of alveolar sounds ; /t/ and /d/, where the tongue tip contacts the alveolar ridge behind the upper front teeth

Vocal folds : when we speak muscles in the larynx bring the vocal cords together

Lips : can be used to produce bilabial sounds, where both lips come together, such as /p/ and /b

Tracheal cartilages

Posterior wall

Mucosa

Submucosa

Musculocartilaginous layer

Trachea is held in position by muscles and ligaments, and it connects to the inferior aspect of the larynx, specifically the cricoid cartilage.


The cricoid cartilage is a hyaline cartilage ring that fully encircles the trachea and serves as the inferior-most boundary of the laryngeal skeleton. It has two parts: the anterior part, also called the arch, and the posterior portion, which is much wider than the anterior and referred to as the lamina

Pharynx or throat is a 12-14 cm, or 5 inch, long tube extending behind the nasal and oral cavities until the voice box (larynx) and the esophagus

The muscles that make up the pharyngeal walls run both circularly on the outside and longitudinally on the inside

The three pharyngeal constrictor muscles make up the outer layer of the wall while the inner layer is comprised of paired muscles. The superior, middle and inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles

he three paired muscles of the inner pharynx act as a group in order to elevate the larynx, shorten the pharynx and act during swallowing and speaking. These muscles are known as the stylopharyngeus, the palatopharyngeus and the salpingopharyngeus.

Larynx, or voice box, contains intrinsic and extrinsic muscles that play a crucial role in breathing, phonation, and swallowing

The extrinsic muscles, including the suprahyoid and infrahyoid groups, act to move the larynx superiorly and inferiorly, while the intrinsic muscles act on the individual components of the larynx, controlling the shape of the rima glottidis and the length and tension of the vocal folds

The intrinsic muscles include adductors, abductors, sphincters, muscles that tense the vocal cords, and muscles that relax the vocal cords

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