The ring cartilage of the throat
Cricoid cartilage · cartilago cricoidea
The only complete ring of cartilage in the airway, sitting just below the Adam's apple.
What it does
The cricoid cartilage is a signet-ring shaped band at the bottom of the voice box, where it joins the windpipe. It keeps the airway open and provides a base for the small cartilages that move the vocal cords.
Surprising fact
Its name comes from the Greek for "ring-shaped", and it is the only cartilage that goes all the way around the airway.
Why it matters
The dip between the Adam's apple and the cricoid is where emergency doctors make an opening to get air in when the airway above is blocked.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.