In the human

larynx The larynx (), commonly called the voice box, is an organ in the top of the neck involved in breathing, producing sound and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. The opening of larynx into pharynx known as the laryngeal inlet is about ...

, the vocal process is the anterior angle of the base of the

arytenoid cartilage The arytenoid cartilages () are a pair of small three-sided pyramids which form part of the larynx. They are the site of attachment of the vocal cords. Each is pyramidal or ladle-shaped and has three surfaces, a base, and an apex. The arytenoid ...

, as it projects horizontally forward and gives attachment to the

vocal ligament In humans, vocal cords, also known as vocal folds or voice reeds, are folds of throat tissues that are key in creating sounds through vocalization. The size of vocal cords affects the pitch of voice. Open when breathing and vibrating for speec ...

. The arytenoids are paired cartilages with a medial and a lateral process each. The medial process is called the vocal process because it is the attachment for the

. The lateral process is the attachment of one of the major intrinsic muscles of the

vocal folds In humans, vocal cords, also known as vocal folds or voice reeds, are folds of throat tissues that are key in creating sounds through vocalization. The size of vocal cords affects the pitch of voice. Open when breathing and vibrating for speech ...

and consequently named the

muscular process The muscular process of arytenoid cartilage is the posterolateral projection of the (short, rounded, and prominent) lateral angle of the base of the arytenoid cartilage. The muscular process gives insertion to the posterior cricoarytenoid muscles ...

. As the concave bases of the arytenoid cartilages move on the two convex articular surfaces on the

cricoid cartilage The cricoid cartilage , or simply cricoid (from the Greek ''krikoeides'' meaning "ring-shaped") or cricoid ring, is the only complete ring of cartilage around the trachea. It forms the back part of the voice box and functions as an attachment si ...

(at the

cricoarytenoid articulation The cricoarytenoid joint is a joint connecting the cricoid cartilage and the arytenoid cartilage. It is a very shallow ball-and-socket joint. It allows for rotation and gliding motion. This controls the abduction and adduction of the vocal cords. ...

s), the vocal processes are brought closer to each other, which permits the vocal folds to make contact (adduct) and abduct. Just above the vocal process is a shallow depression, the oblong fovea of the arytenoid cartilage. Together they constitute the insertion for the

vocalis muscle The thyroarytenoid muscle is a broad, thin muscle that forms the body of the vocal fold and that supports the wall of the ventricle and its appendix. It functions to shorten the vocal folds. Structure It arises in front from the lower half of the ...

. Vocal process granulomas are rare and benign lesions that occur in 0.9–2.7% of adults with a

voice disorder Voice disordersTitze, I.R. (1994). Principles of Voice Production, Prentice Hall, . are medical conditions involving abnormal pitch, loudness or quality of the sound produced by the larynx and thereby affecting speech production. These include: * ...

. Most occurrences and forms of vocal process granulomas regress spontaneously without any specific treatment, even large ones.

References

{{Authority control Human head and neck Human voice Larynx