The corniculate cartilages (cartilages of Santorini) are two small conical nodules consisting of elastic
cartilage, which articulate with the summits of the
arytenoid cartilages
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 ...
and serve to prolong them posteriorly and medially.
They are situated in the posterior parts of the
aryepiglottic folds of
mucous membrane
A mucous membrane or mucosa is a membrane that lines various cavities in the body of an organism and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue. It i ...
, and are sometimes fused with the
arytenoid cartilages
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 ...
.
Eponym
It is named by
Giovanni Domenico Santorini. The word "Corniculate" has a Latin root "cornu". Cornu means horn like projections. The projections of Corniculate cartilage look like "horns" hence the name.
Additional images
File:Gray950.png, The cartilages of the larynx. Posterior view.
File:Gray956.png, Laryngoscopic view of interior of larynx.
File:Gray958.png, Muscles of larynx. Posterior view.
File:Gray959.png, Muscles of larynx. Side view. Right lamina of thyroid cartilage removed.
File:Slide6vvv.JPG, Corniculate cartilages
References
External links
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Human head and neck