The oblique part of cricothyroid is the posterior and larger component, acting on the inferior thyroid horn. It produces the rotation that elongates the vocal folds for high-pitched voice production.
| Origin | Lateral surface of the cricoid cartilage |
|---|---|
| Insertion | Posterior lamina and inferior horn of the thyroid cartilage |
| Nerve Supply | External branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (SLN, branch of CN X) |
| Blood Supply | Superior thyroid artery |
| Actions |
|
|---|
It draws the thyroid cartilage forward on the cricoid, lengthening the vocal cords and raising pitch.
The external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve innervates cricothyroid, its injury during thyroidectomy (close to the superior thyroid artery ligation) produces loss of high-pitch voice and easy voice fatigue. Professional singers are most affected. The Cernea classification describes the SLN external branch position relative to the superior thyroid artery.
Not directly palpable, function assessed by voice quality (high-pitch testing).
External SLN injury during thyroidectomy producing loss of high-pitch voice and upper register limitation, particularly devastating in professional singers.
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