External laryngeal nerve

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Nerve: External laryngeal nerve
Course and distribution of the glossopharyngeal, vagus, and accessory nerves. (External branch of superior laryngeal labeled at center right.)
Latin ramus externus nervi laryngei superioris
Gray's subject #205 912
From superior laryngeal nerve
Dorlands
/ Elsevier
    
r_02/12690066

The external laryngeal nerve is the smaller, external branch (ramus externus) of the superior laryngeal nerve. It descends on the larynx, beneath the sternothyroid muscle, to supply the cricothyroid muscle.

It gives branches to the pharyngeal plexus and the superior portion of the inferior pharyngeal constrictor, and communicates with the superior cardiac nerve behind the common carotid artery.

[edit] Clinical significance

The external branch is susceptible to damage during thyroidectomy, as it lies immediately deep to the superior thyroid artery.

[edit] External links