Anat Cell Biol.  2023 Jun;56(2):268-270. 10.5115/acb.22.232.

The first report of the buckled thyroid cartilage in a human cadaver

• Ballard C
• Iwanaga J
• Maranillo E
• Sanudo J
• Dumont AS
• Tubbs RS

• KMID: 2544089
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.22.232

Abstract

We present the first case of buckled thyroid cartilage identified in a human cadaver. This rare anatomical variant, in patients, often produces dysphonia and is a potential source for diagnostic confusion. In the cadaveric case described, the laryngeal prominence is deviated to the left without deviation of the internal structures of the larynx, such as vocal folds and vocalis muscles. The medical history of the patient is not known. Finally, a review of current literature on the buckled thyroid cartilage is presented. Such a case represents a rare opportunity to visualize this deformity via anatomical dissection.

Keyword

Thyroid cartilage; Anatomy; Cadaver; Larynx

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Anterior, superior, and inferior views of the buckled thyroid cartilage. Note the laryngeal protuberance (arrows) is deviated to the left. Also, note that the vocal folds (red arrows, vocalis muscles) are symmetrically positioned (following the sagittal cut and removal of the mucosa over the vocal folds).

• 

  Fig. 2 Medial view of the sagittally sectioned buckled thyroid cartilage. Note the absence of deviation of the vocal folds (red arrows).

• 

  Fig. 3 Medial view of the sagittally sectioned buckled thyroid cartilage following the removal of the mucosa over the vocal folds (red arrows).

Reference

References

1. Maranillo E, Sanudo J. Tubbs RS, Shoja MM, Loukas M, editors. 2016. Laryngeal muscles. Bergman's Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation. John Wiley & Sons;Hoboken: p. 254–61. DOI: 10.1002/9781118430309.ch29.

2. Friedrich G, Lichtenegger R. 1997; Surgical anatomy of the larynx. J Voice. 11:345–55. DOI: 10.1016/S0892-1997(97)80014-8. PMID: 9297680.

3. Chang BA, Luu K, Newton EK, Morrison MD. 2018; Buckled thyroid cartilage: an anatomic variant. J Voice. 32:621–4. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2017.07.020. PMID: 28843975.

4. Iwanaga J, Singh V, Ohtsuka A, Hwang Y, Kim HJ, Moryś J, Ravi KS, Ribatti D, Trainor PA, Sañudo JR, Apaydin N, Şengül G, Albertine KH, Walocha JA, Loukas M, Duparc F, Paulsen F, Del Sol M, Adds P, Hegazy A, Tubbs RS. 2021; Acknowledging the use of human cadaveric tissues in research papers: recommendations from Anatomical Journal editors. Clin Anat. 34:2–4. DOI: 10.1002/ca.23671. PMID: 32808702.

5. Urban MJ, Mattioni J, Jaworek A, Potigailo V, Sataloff RT. 2017; Hemilaryngeal microsomia: an anatomic variant. J Voice. 31:601–4. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2016.12.006. PMID: 28131459.

6. Honjo I, Tanaka S, Tanabe M. 1985; Pathogenesis of protruded false vocal fold. Arch Otolaryngol. 111:398–9. DOI: 10.1001/archotol.1985.00800080084011. PMID: 4004638.

7. Iwanaga J, Singh V, Takeda S, Ogeng'o J, Kim HJ, Moryś J, Ravi KS, Ribatti D, Trainor PA, Sañudo JR, Apaydin N, Sharma A, Smith HF, Walocha JA, Hegazy AMS, Duparc F, Paulsen F, Del Sol M, Adds P, Louryan S, Fazan VPS, Boddeti RK, Tubbs RS. 2022; Standardized statement for the ethical use of human cadaveric tissues in anatomy research papers: recommendations from Anatomical Journal Editors-in-Chief. Clin Anat. 35:526–8. DOI: 10.1002/ca.23849. PMID: 35218594.