Cartilage
Corniculate and cuneiform cartilages
Elastic supports along the laryngeal entrance
High-yield
The corniculate has an attachment to the arytenoid apex. The cuneiform lies within soft tissue and has no corresponding joint with another cartilage.
Overview
Two small cartilage pairs help support the aryepiglottic folds. Each corniculate lies on an arytenoid apex, whereas each cuneiform is suspended farther forward in the fold. Their positions create separate mucosal elevations around the posterior part of the laryngeal inlet.
Reference facts
- Cartilage type
- Both are paired elastic cartilages.
- Key landmarks
- Corniculate elevations lie posteriorly over the arytenoid apices; cuneiform elevations are farther anterior and lateral in the aryepiglottic folds.
- Articulations
- Corniculates articulate with, and sometimes fuse to, the arytenoid apices. Cuneiforms are supported by the folds without a cartilage-to-cartilage articulation.
- Ossification
- They normally retain elastic cartilage rather than following the prominent age-related ossification pattern of the thyroid and cricoid.
Clinical correlation
These elevations help orient the examiner during laryngoscopy. Swelling or other local changes can obscure the usual appearance, so a single mound should not be treated as an infallible landmark.
Frequently asked questions
What type of cartilage are the corniculate and cuneiform cartilages?
The corniculate and cuneiform cartilages are a both are paired elastic cartilages.
What do the corniculate and cuneiform cartilages articulate with?
Corniculates articulate with, and sometimes fuse to, the arytenoid apices. Cuneiforms are supported by the folds without a cartilage-to-cartilage articulation.
What are the key landmarks of the corniculate and cuneiform cartilages?
Corniculate elevations lie posteriorly over the arytenoid apices; cuneiform elevations are farther anterior and lateral in the aryepiglottic folds.
Do the corniculate and cuneiform cartilages ossify?
They normally retain elastic cartilage rather than following the prominent age-related ossification pattern of the thyroid and cricoid.