Thyro-Arytenoid (Left) (Musculus thyroarytenoideus)

Layer: Muscles

Educational content only — not medical advice.

Anatomy

The thyro-arytenoid is a broad laryngeal muscle extending from the inner thyroid cartilage angle to the arytenoid cartilage, relaxing the vocal cords and closing the laryngeal vestibule. In this BP3D model, the muscle is represented across two separate mesh parts (part 2).

Origin & insertion

From the inner surface of the thyroid angle to the arytenoid cartilage.

Action

Draws arytenoid cartilages anteriorly, relaxing the vocal folds and guarding the airway during swallowing.

Innervation

Recurrent laryngeal nerve (branch of vagus nerve, cranial nerve X).

Clinical notes

Coordinated reflex contraction of both thyro-arytenoid parts is essential for the laryngospasm reflex preventing pulmonary aspiration of liquids.

Related structures

Educational references

FAQ

What is the role of the Thyro-Arytenoid (Left)?

The thyro-arytenoid is a broad laryngeal muscle extending from the inner thyroid cartilage angle to the arytenoid cartilage, relaxing the vocal cords and closing the laryngeal vestibule. In this BP3D model, the muscle is represented across two separate mesh parts (part 2).

Why is the Thyro-Arytenoid (Left) clinically important?

Coordinated reflex contraction of both thyro-arytenoid parts is essential for the laryngospasm reflex preventing pulmonary aspiration of liquids.

Source & license

BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). license details