CRICOID CARTILAGE

Cricoid cartilage
- Shaped like a ring and is a complete cartilage
- Parts
  - Narrow anterior part called arch
  - Broad posterior part called lamina
    - Projects upwards behind thyroid cartilage
    - Articulates superiorly
      - with arytenoid cartilage
  - junction of arch and lamina
    - inferior cornua of thyroid cartilage articulates on side
- Attachments
  - arch of cricoid
    - anterior part
      - cricothyroid muscle ( tensor of vocal cord )
    - anterolateral aspect
      - origin to lateral cricoarytenoid muscle ( adductor of vocal cord )
  - lamina of cricoid cartilage
    - outer aspect
      - posterior cricoartyenoid muscle ( safety muscle )