Posterior cricoarytenoid muscle
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| Posterior cricoarytenoid | ||
|---|---|---|
| Muscles of larynx. Side view. Right lamina of thyroid cartilage removed. | ||
| Origin: | posterior part of the cricoid | |
| Insertion: | muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage | |
| Blood: | ||
| Nerve: | recurrent laryngeal branch of the vagus | |
| Action: | abducts and laterally rotates the cartilage, pulling the vocal ligaments away from the midline and forward and so opening the rima glottidis | |
The posterior cricoarytenoid muscle allows the rima glottidis to be opened; it therefore has the opposite effect to the lateral cricoarytenoid muscle.
[edit] Additional images
Muscles of the larynx, seen from above. |
