The glottis is the voice-producing part of the larynx, made up of the two vocal folds and the opening between them, the rima glottidis. The rima's front part lies between the vocal ligaments and its back part between the arytenoid cartilages. In adults it is the narrowest part of the airway.
| Location | Middle level of the larynx, between the laryngeal ventricles above and the infraglottic cavity below. |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Recurrent laryngeal nerve; Superior laryngeal nerve |
| Blood Supply | Superior laryngeal artery (from the superior thyroid artery); Inferior laryngeal artery (from the inferior thyroid artery) |
| Lymphatic drainage |
|
Controls airflow into and out of the lungs, opening widely on deep inspiration and narrowing for speech. Closing it fully protects the airway and allows the build-up of pressure needed for coughing, lifting and straining.
The glottis is the most common site of laryngeal cancer, and because hoarseness appears early and its lymphatic supply is sparse, glottic cancers are often caught at a curable stage. Laryngospasm, a reflex closure of the glottis, can occur during anaesthesia or after inhaling irritants. Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction, an inappropriate narrowing of the larynx during hard exercise, is often misdiagnosed as asthma in young athletes.
Cancer arising on the vocal folds, presenting with persistent hoarseness. Early tumours have high cure rates with radiotherapy or laser surgery.
Sudden involuntary closure of the vocal folds triggered by irritation. It causes a frightening inability to breathe in, usually lasting seconds.
Narrowing of the larynx during intense exercise that causes noisy breathing in and breathlessness. It does not respond to asthma inhalers and is diagnosed with laryngoscopy during exercise.
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