CARTILAGES OF THE LARYNX 



443 



Phunjngvdl surface 



Apex 



Lateral 

 border 



Oral surface 



Cuneiform process 

 Fig. 352. — Epkilottis of Horse, Right Later.\l View. 



cartilage and curves toward the root of the tongue. It is shaped somewhat like a 

 pointed ovate leaf, and ])r(\sents two surfaces, two borders, a base, and an apex. 

 The oral (or anterior) surface is concave in its length, convex transversely; the 

 pharyngeal (or posterior) surface has the reverse configuration. The borders 

 are thin, denticulated, and somewhat everted. Th(> base is thick, and is attaciied 

 to the dorsal surface of the body of the thyroid cartilage by elastic tissue. From 

 each side of it a cartilaginous bar 

 projects backward; these processes 

 correspond to the cuneiform car- 

 tilages of man. The apex is 

 pointed and curved ventrally. 

 Nearly all of the epiglottis is 

 covered with mucous membrane. 

 It lies sometimes in front of, 

 sometimes behind, the soft palate. 

 The arytenoid cartilages (C'ar- 

 tilagines arytenoidcic) are situated 

 on either side, in front of the cri- 

 coid, and partly between the alse 

 of the thyroid cartilage. They 

 are somewhat pyramidal in form, 

 and may be described as having 

 two surfaces, two borders, a base, 



and an apex. The internal surface is concavo-convex, smooth, and covered by 

 mucous membrane. The external surface is divided by a ridge into two areas: 

 the lower flat area faces outward, and is covered by the thyro-arytenoid and 

 lateral crico-arytenoid muscles; the upper concave area faces chiefly forward, 

 and is covered by the transverse arytenoid muscle. The anterior border is convex, 

 and at the base of the cartilage forms a projection termed the vocal process (Proces- 

 sus vocalis) ; it is so named because 

 Muscular process Apex it gives attachment to the vocal 



or thyro-arytenoid ligament, which 

 forms the basis of the true vocal 

 cord. The posterior border is 

 straight, and extends from the 

 vocal process to the facet on the 

 base. The dorsal border forms a 

 deep notch with the apex. The 

 base is concave and faces chiefly 

 backward; it presents an oval, 

 concave facet for articulation with 

 the anterior border of the lamina of 

 the cricoid cartilage. The external 

 angle of the base forms a strong 

 eminence termed the muscular pro- 

 cess (Processus muscularis), which 

 gives attachment to the crico- 

 arytenoid muscles. The internal angle is attached to its fellow by the transverse 

 arytenoid ligament. The apex (Cartilago corniculata) curves upward and back- 

 ward, forming with its fellow the pitcher-shaped lip, from which the cartilages 

 derive their name. 



The cricoid and thj^roid cartilages, and the greater part of the arytenoid 

 cartilages, consist of hyaline cartilage. The apices and vocal processes of the 

 arytenoid cartilages and the epiglottis (including the cuneiform processes) consist 



Facet for 

 cricoid 



Fig. 353. 



Vocal process 



-Left Arytenoid C.\rtil.\ge of Horse, Inner 

 View. 



