hi let's discuss the laryngeal neurovasculature in this video we'll discuss the arteries and nerves
that serve the larynx and explain the specific targets of each nerve and its branches but let's
start with the vasculature there are two arteries which serve the larynx the superior laryngeal
artery and the inferior laryngeal artery let's take a look at where they come from so as we
follow the superior laryngeal arteries path we see that it arises from the superior thyroid
artery that superior thyroid artery is a branch of the external carotid artery a major artery which
supplies the neck face and head with blood so the superior thyroid gives off the superior laryngeal
artery that superior laryngeal artery it's transmitted through the thyrohyoid membrane
deep it's accompanied by the internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve which we'll discuss
shortly the inferior laryngeal artery is a branch of the inferior thyroid artery
that inferior thyroid artery is a branch of the thyrocervical trunk which arises from
the first part of the subclavian artery so from subclavian artery we have the thyroid
cervical trunk which gives rise to several branches among them the inferior thyroid
and it's the inferior thyroid artery that gives rise to the inferior laryngeal artery
so a laryngeal artery is always supplied by its commensurately named thyroid artery superior
thyroid gives rise to the superior laryngeal inferior thyroid gives rise to the inferior
laryngeal in terms of innervation the larynx is exclusively innervated by the vagus nerve
high in the carotid sheath the vagus nerve gives off the superior laryngeal nerve that superior
laryngeal nerve descends within the carotid sheath and it branches into the internal branch
and the external branch the internal branch is somatic sensory
it's also secreto motor to the mucosa that are superior or proximal to the vocal folds
the external branch is somatomotor or efferent to the cricothyroid muscle that cricothyroid muscle
controls the cricothyroid joint when it tips it puts tension on the vocal folds to increase pitch
so that's all complements of the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve when i think about
the two of these things what comes to mind is that i am sensitive on the inside and i am muscular
on the outside anyhow the other contribution of the vagus nerve to the larynx comes
by way of the recurrent laryngeal nerve the recurrent laryngeal nerves branch from the vagus
on the right side the recurrent laryngeal nerve wraps around the subclavian artery at the root of
the neck on the left side the recurrent laryngeal nerve wraps around the concavity of the aorta
on both sides they ascend the neck in the tracheoesophageal groove
paired with the inferior laryngeal artery some folks call the recurrent laryngeal nerve beyond
the cricoid margin the inferior laryngeal nerve but more often than not it's referred to as the
recurrent laryngeal nerve throughout its course the recurrent laryngeal nerve is efferent to
all of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles with the exception of our good friend cricothyroid here
it's also somatic sensory from afferent from as well as secreto motor 2 the mucosa distal below
the vocal folds or inferior to the vocal folds so in terms of somatic sensory and secreto motor
internal branch of superior laryngeal is above the vocal folds recurrent laryngeal
below the vocal folds so we've discussed the role of the various branches of the
vagus nerve both superior laryngeal nerve and its external and internal branches
as well as the recurrent laryngeal nerve to the larynx both somatomotor somatic sensory as well as
visceral motor thank you very much for your time this is your summary slide