700 



DISSECTION OF THE LAEYNX. 



Arytenoid 

 cartilages : 



situation 

 and form ; 



base; 



apex ; 



surfaces, 

 internal, 



anterior or 

 external, 



and 



posterior. 



Fibro-carti. 

 lages of 

 Santorini. 



Fibro-carti- 

 lages of 

 Wrisberg. 



Epiglottis 



form and 

 position ; 



surfaces, 

 anterior, 



the broad part of the cartilage is slightly excavated in the middle, 

 and is limited on each side by a convex articular facet for the 

 arytenoid cartilage, which slopes downwards and outwards. In 

 front of that spot, the border descends rapidly as it passes forwards 

 to the middle line. 



The two ARYTENOID CARTILAGES (c) are placed one on each side 

 at the back of the larynx, on the upper border of the cricoid carti- 

 lage. Each is pyramidal in shape, is about half an inch in depth, 

 and offers for examination a base and apex, and three surfaces. 



The base has the form of an elongated triangle, with one of the 

 angles (the postero-internal) rounded off. Its anterior extremity is 

 thin and tapering, and gives attachment to the inferior thyro- 

 arytenoid ligament, whence it is named the weal process. The 

 external angle is thick, and projects backwards and outwards, form- 

 ing the muscular process, into which the crico-arytenoid muscles are 

 inserted. On the under aspect of the muscular process is an oval, 

 concave articular facet, sloped downwards and outwards, for the 

 cricoid cartilage. The apex of the cartilage is directed backwards, 

 and is surmounted by the cartilage of Santorini. 



The inner surface is narrow, especially above, and flat ; and it is 

 covered by the mucous membrane. The anterior or outer surface 

 is the largest and irregular, being convex above and concave below. 

 It is marked near the upper end by a tubercle, and lower down, at 

 the junction of the middle and lower thirds, by an oblique ridge. 

 This surface gives attachment to the superior thyro-arytenoid liga- 

 ment and the thyro-arytenoid muscle. At its posterior aspect the 

 cartilage is concave and smooth, being covered by the arytenoid 

 muscle. 



CARTILAGES OF SANTORINI, cornicula or capitula laryngis. At- 

 tached to the apex of each arytenoid cartilage is the small, conical 

 nbro-cartilage of Santorini, which is inclined backwards and inwards. 

 The aryteno-epiglottidean fold is connected with it. 



CUNEIFORM CARTILAGES. Two other small nbro-cartilaginous 

 bodies, one on each side, which are contained in the aryteno- 

 epiglottidean folds, have received this name. Each is somewhat 

 elongated in form, like a grain of rice ; it is situate obliquely in 

 front of the capitulum of the arytenoid cartilage, arid its place in 

 the fold of the mucous membrane is marked by a slight whitish 

 projection. These cartilages are often absent. 



The EPIGLOTTIS (fig. 248, A) is single, and is the largest of the 

 pieces of yellow fibro- cartilage. In form it resembles an ovate 

 leaf, with the stalk below and the blade above. Its position is 

 behind the tongue and in front of the orifice of the larynx. During 

 respiration it is placed vertically ; but during deglutition it takes an 

 oblique direction over the opening of the larynx. 



The anterior surface is covered in its upper part by mucous 

 membrane, which forms the three glosso-epiglottidean folds (p. 687) 

 between it and the tongue ; its lower part is attached to the hyoid 

 bone by fatty tissue containing glands, and by the hyo-epiglottidean 



