(ˈkəʊnəs ɪˈlæstɪkəs)
noun
1. Thickened laryngeal membrane that lines the interior of the larynx and extends from the cricoid to the vocal ligaments.
2. The Conus Elasticus connects the cricoid cartilage with the thyroid and arytenoid cartilages. It is composed of dense fibroconnective tissue with abundant elastic fibres. It can be described as having two parts:
– The medial cricothyroid ligament is a thickened anterior part of the membrane that connects the anterior apart of the arch of the cricoid cartilage with the inferior border of the thyroid membrane.
– The lateral cricothyroid membranes originate on the superior surface of the cricoid arch and rise superiorly and medially to insert on the vocal process of the arytenoid cartilages posteriorly, and to the interior median part of the thyroid cartilage anteriorly.
– Its free borders form the vocal ligaments.
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