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Hajek revisited: a histological examination of the quadrangular membrane
Nwanmegha Young1, Mikhail Wadie Abdelmessih2, Clarence Sasaki3
1Department of Surgery, Section of Otolaryngology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA nwanmegha.young@yale.edu.
Objective:
The predictability of laryngeal cancer spread is due in part to connective tissue membranes. These membranes function as barriers to cancer and divide the larynx into subunits. The field of laryngeal conservation surgery is based on these concepts. The quadrangular membrane plays an important role, hindering the lateral spread of cancer in the larynx. The composition of this membrane has not been well described in the literature. In this study, we examine basic characteristics of the quadrangular membrane using histological techniques.
Methods:
Whole organ sections of the larynx were used. These sections were examined under a microscope with stains specific for collagen and elastin.
Results:
Examination of the sections revealed that the quadrangular membrane is made up of closely woven undulating collagen and elastic fibers.
Conclusion:
The quadrangular membrane is a fibroelastic structure providing a barrier to cancer spread.