Superior laryngeal nerve
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Hacking C, Baba Y, Superior laryngeal nerve. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 20 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-71228
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rID:
71228
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Craig Hacking had no recorded disclosures.
View Craig Hacking's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Yahya Baba had no recorded disclosures.
View Yahya Baba's current disclosures
Revisions:
3 times, by
2 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
The superior laryngeal nerve is a branch of the vagus nerve (CN X) which supplies the larynx.
Summary
- origin: arises from the inferior ganglion of the vagus nerve (CN X)
-
course
- descends within the carotid sheath posterior and then medial to the internal carotid artery
- pierces the medial wall of the carotid sheath to continue descending along the lateral margin of the pharynx
- at the level of the greater cornu of the hyoid bone, it divides into 2 terminal branches
-
branches and supply
- external laryngeal nerve which supplies the cricothyroid muscle (the only intrinsic muscle of the larynx not supplied by the recurrent laryngeal nerve)
- internal laryngeal nerve which supplies mucosal sensation to the supraglottic larynx and epiglottis and also taste sensation from the valleculae
References
- 1. Moore KL, Agur AMR, Dalley AF. Clinically oriented anatomy. LWW. ISBN:1451119453. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Last's anatomy, regional and applied. Churchill Livingstone. ISBN:044304662X. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Susan Standring. Gray's Anatomy. ISBN: 9780702052309
- 4. Robert H. Whitaker, Neil R. Borley. Instant Anatomy. ISBN: 9780632054039
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Laryngeal paraganglia
- Internal laryngeal nerve
- Alar fascia
- Pyriform sinus
- Accessory nerve
- Superior laryngeal artery
- Epiglottis
- Vocal cord paralysis
- External laryngeal nerve
- Larynx
- Third branchial cleft cyst
- Postcricoid region
- Vagus nerve
- Branchial apparatus
- Intrinsic muscles of the larynx
- Superior thyroid artery
- External carotid artery
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