The aryepiglottic folds are triangular folds of mucous membrane of the

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 ...

. They enclose ligamentous and muscular fibres. They extend from the lateral borders of the

epiglottis The epiglottis is a leaf-shaped flap in the throat that prevents food and water from entering the trachea and the lungs. It stays open during breathing, allowing air into the larynx. During swallowing, it closes to prevent aspiration of food in ...

to the arytenoid cartilages, hence the name 'aryepiglottic'. They contain the

aryepiglottic muscle The aryepiglottic muscle, or aryepiglotticus muscle is an intrinsic muscle of the larynx. The muscle originates from the muscular process of arytenoid cartilage and inserts to the aryepiglottic fold and lateral border of epiglottis. The aryepigl ...

s and form the upper borders of the quadrangular membrane. They have a role in

growling Growling is a low, guttural vocalization produced by animals as an aggressive warning but can also be found in other contexts such as playful behaviors or mating. Different animals will use growling in specific contexts as a form of communicat ...

as a form of

phonation The term phonation has slightly different meanings depending on the subfield of phonetics. Among some phoneticians, ''phonation'' is the process by which the vocal folds produce certain sounds through quasi-periodic vibration. This is the defin ...

. They may be narrowed and cause

stridor Stridor (Latin for "creaking or grating noise") is a high-pitched extra-thoracic breath sound resulting from turbulent air flow in the larynx or lower in the bronchial tree. It is different from a stertor which is a noise originating in the pha ...

, or be shortened and cause laryngomalacia.

Structure

The aryepiglottic folds are triangular. They are narrow in front, wide behind, and slope obliquely downward and backward. They originate from the lateral borders of the

. They insert into the arytenoid cartilages. In front, they are bounded by the

. Behind, they are bounded by the apices of the arytenoid cartilages, the

corniculate cartilages The corniculate cartilages (cartilages of Santorini) are two small conical nodules consisting of elastic cartilage, which articulate with the summits of the arytenoid cartilages and serve to prolong them posteriorly and medially. They are situated ...

, and the interarytenoid notch. Within the posterior part of each aryepiglottic fold exists a cuneiform cartilage which forms whitish prominence, the cuneiform tubercle. The aryepiglottic folds contain the

s. They form the upper borders of the quadrangular membrane, and the lateral borders of the laryngeal inlet.

Function

Phonation

Under certain circumstances, the aryepiglottic folds take part in

, for instance in the singing technique of vocal growl, such as practiced by

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and Singing, vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and se ...

and other

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

singers. The approximation of the aryepiglottic folds during vocalization may establish sustained co-

oscillation Oscillation is the repetitive or periodic variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value (often a point of equilibrium) or between two or more different states. Familiar examples of oscillation include a swinging pendul ...

s, at relatively low frequencies, producing the growl or

effect.

Clinical significance

Stridor

If the aryepiglottic folds narrow the laryngeal inlet, they may cause

Laryngomalacia

The aryepiglottic folds are shortened in laryngomalacia. They may be surgically removed to prevent problems eating and

shortness of breath Shortness of breath (SOB), also medically known as dyspnea (in AmE) or dyspnoea (in BrE), is an uncomfortable feeling of not being able to breathe well enough. The American Thoracic Society defines it as "a subjective experience of breathing di ...

Gallery

File:Slide5sss.JPG, Aryepiglottic fold File:Slide16sss.JPG, Aryepiglottic fold File:Slide9vvv.JPG, Aryepiglottic fold File:Slide8kkkk.JPG, Aryepiglottic fold File:Slide3kuku.JPG, Deep dissection of larynx, pharynx and tongue seen from behind

References

Bibliography

* ''Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde'', 12. Auflage, 2005, S.239–45. * Schuhmacher GH, Aumüller G, ''Topographische Anatomie des Menschen'', Elsevier, 2004,

External links

* * * () {{Authority control Human throat