Thyro-Arytenoid (Musculus thyroarytenoideus)
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?
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 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