Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Learning Modern Laryngeal Surgery in a Dissection Laboratory
Published on: March 18, 2020
The anatomy of the inferior laryngeal nerve
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Abstract:
Contradictory opinions are found in the literature concerning the precise anatomy and role of the inferior laryngeal nerve, the terminal portion of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Moreover, operative damage to this nerve beyond the thyroid area is seldom described. Twenty-one human larynges were dissected to give a precise description of the inferior laryngeal nerve and to draw attention to the risks of injury to the nerve during specific laryngological operations. In contrast with the varied descriptions found in the literature, only small variations in the terminal branching of the nerve were found. The nerve divides generally extralaryngeally into two branches: a motor, anterior one, innervating the intrinsic laryngeal musculature (except the cricothyroid muscle), and a sensory, posterior one, forming Galen's anastomosis. The anterior branch of the nerve is particularly susceptible to damage just behind the cricothyroid joint; two of its terminal rami, supplying respectively the interarytenoid and thyro-arytenoid muscles, incur potential risks of injury during endoscopic CO2 laser surgery.
Related Concept Videos
The Hyoid Bone
Cranial Nerves: Overview and Anatomy
Cranial Nerves: Types Part II
Facial Nerve (Cranial Nerve VII)
Cranial nerve VII, or the facial nerve,...
Spinal Nerves: Plexus I
The Cervical Plexus
The cervical plexus, formed by the anterior rami of the first four...
Larynx
Anatomy of the Larynx
The larynx consists of various components, including cartilage, muscles, and vocal cords. Its structure includes three large unpaired cartilages—the thyroid, cricoid, and epiglottis—and three smaller paired cartilages—the arytenoids, corniculates, and...
Anatomy of Respiratory System II: Lower Respiratory Tract
The Larynx
It is located between the pharynx and the trachea, acts as a passageway for air, and hosts several critical structures, such as the epiglottis, vocal cords, and glottis. The epiglottis acts as a gateway, guiding food to the...

