Conus Elasticus Ligament, Superior View

Description

Seen from a superior perspective into the laryngeal lumen, the conus elasticus (cricovocal membrane) forms a fibrous sheet rising from the superior border of the cricoid cartilage toward the vocal folds. Its free superior margin thickens into the vocal ligament, which runs anteroposteriorly from the inner surface of the thyroid cartilage (near the anterior commissure) to the vocal process of the arytenoid cartilage. Laterally, the membrane blends with the inner laryngeal framework and sits deep to the intrinsic laryngeal muscles, with the thyroarytenoid positioned immediately lateral to the vocal ligament and the cricothyroid lying more anteroinferior and external to the cavity. Clear landmarks. This relationship matters because the conus elasticus defines the inferior boundary of the laryngeal ventricle and sets the mechanical substrate for phonation: tension changes transmitted to the vocal ligament translate directly into pitch and glottic closure quality. Edema, scarring, or sulcus vocalis at the level of the vocal ligament alters the mucosal wave, while endotracheal intubation trauma often concentrates at the posterior glottis near the arytenoids and can secondarily affect the ligament’s attachment. Surgeons working transorally need this superior map to orient microflap dissection planes and avoid violating the vocal ligament when addressing benign lesions on the true cord. Ideal for teaching intrinsic laryngeal anatomy in head and neck modules, speech-language pathology voice courses, and otolaryngology texts covering phonatory biomechanics, laryngoscopy correlations, and framework surgery planning, where color-coding helps separate muscle from ligament and cartilage at a glance. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.