Head and neck muscles (chewing, facial, and throat muscles)

Lateral cricoarytenoid

Musculus cricoarytenoideus lateralis

Origin

Upper border and side of the arch of the cricoid cartilage

Insertion

Muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage

Function

Adducts the vocal folds by rotating the arytenoid cartilages toward each other (closes the glottis)

Innervation

Recurrent laryngeal nerve (branch of the vagus nerve, CN X)

Movement & chain

Acts as an antagonist to posterior cricoarytenoid (the sole abductor) and a synergist of the interarytenoid muscle in vocal fold closure for phonation and coughing.

Palpation

Not palpable externally; located deep within the lateral laryngeal framework.

Clinical

Bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy can lead to paradoxical vocal fold movement and airway obstruction, as the balance between adductors and the sole abductor is disrupted.

Segmental innervation

Vagus nerve (X), motor via the recurrent laryngeal nerve.

In clinical practice

Primary vocal cord adductor closing the glottis; voice rehabilitation following unilateral vocal fold paralysis.

Region in the model

Head and neck muscles (chewing, facial, and throat muscles)