Vertical Part of the Cricothyroid Muscle, Anterior View

Description

Anteriorly, the vertical part (pars recta) of the cricothyroid muscle occupies the anterolateral surface of the larynx, spanning from the anterolateral arch of the cricoid cartilage to the inferior margin and inferior horn region of the thyroid cartilage. Its fibers run superiorly with a straight, near-vertical course, lying superficial to the conus elasticus and lateral to the midline laryngeal prominence. Superior to the muscle, the thyroid cartilage forms the shield-like framework, while the cricoid cartilage sits inferior and slightly posterior, marking the transition toward the first tracheal rings. A clean line of pull. Functionally, pars recta is the principal external tensor of the vocal folds: by approximating the cricoid and thyroid (tilting the thyroid cartilage anteroinferiorly at the cricothyroid joint), it lengthens the vocal ligament and raises phonatory pitch. That biomechanics is also why this muscle matters during laryngeal framework surgery and thyroidectomy, where injury to the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve reduces high-pitch control and produces vocal fatigue that standard recurrent laryngeal nerve checks can miss. From an anterior approach, the cricothyroid region is also the key surface landmark for cricothyrotomy, and this view helps clarify what sits immediately lateral to the midline membrane and what does not. Use this artwork in head and neck anatomy teaching to contrast intrinsic laryngeal muscles with the cricothyroid as an extrinsic-positioned, yet functionally intrinsic, tensor, and to map muscular vectors onto the thyroid and cricoid cartilages. It also suits ENT and anesthesia training materials that cover cricothyrotomy landmarks and superior laryngeal nerve vulnerability during anterior neck surgery. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.