Mathews Shibin, Jain Sameer
CUNY School of Medicine
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
The cricoid cartilage is a hyaline cartilage ring which fully encircles the trachea and composes the inferior-most boundary of the laryngeal skeleton. The term “cricoid,” (Greek, krikos meaning “ring-shaped”) refers to the signet-ring resemblance of the cricoid cartilage. It has a narrow arch anteriorly, which widens into a broad lamina posterior to the airway. The cricoid cartilage serves to maintain airway patency, forms part of the larynx, and provides an attachment point for key muscles, ligaments, and cartilage, which function in the opening and closing the vocal cords for sound production. Clinically, the cricoid cartilage is an important anatomical landmark for procedures such as cricothyroidotomy, used to establish a viable airway in an emergency setting.
环状软骨是一个透明软骨环，它完全环绕气管，构成喉骨架的最下边界。“环状”一词（希腊语，krikos意为“环形”）指的是环状软骨类似图章戒指的形状。它前部有一个狭窄的弓，在气道后方扩展成一个宽阔的板。环状软骨有助于维持气道通畅，构成喉的一部分，并为关键肌肉、韧带和软骨提供附着点，这些结构在声带开合以产生声音时发挥作用。在临床上，环状软骨是诸如环甲膜切开术等操作的重要解剖标志，环甲膜切开术用于在紧急情况下建立有效的气道。
