Hyoid Bone, Anterior View

Description

Centered high in the anterior neck, the hyoid bone appears as a U shaped arch with a thickened body (corpus ossis hyoidei) in the midline and paired greater horns (cornua majora) projecting posterolaterally. Smaller, conical lesser horns (cornua minora) rise from the junction of the body and greater horn on each side. In an anterior view the superior border sits just inferior to the floor of mouth, while the inferior margin aligns above the thyroid cartilage of the larynx. For airway and swallowing mechanics, the hyoid is the moving strut between tongue base and laryngeal framework, suspended by the suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles and linked to the thyroid cartilage via the thyrohyoid membrane. This anterior perspective helps clarify the relationship used during emergency airway procedures: the hyoid lies superior to the laryngeal prominence, and palpation across its body and greater horns guides landmarking for cricothyrotomy and for locating the thyrohyoid space. Fracture of the greater horn is also a classic pattern in manual strangulation and is assessed in forensic examination. Ideal for gross anatomy teaching of the anterior cervical region, head and neck surgery references, and otolaryngology materials covering laryngeal elevation, dysphagia evaluation, and airway landmarking. It also supports radiology correlation when introducing CT or ultrasound identification of the hyoid body and cornua relative to the thyroid and cricoid cartilages. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.