| Lateral cricoarytenoid | |
|---|---|
 Muscles of larynx. Side view. Right lamina of thyroid cartilage removed. | |
| Details | |
| Origin | Lateral part of the arch of the cricoid |
| Insertion | Muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage |
| Nerve | Recurrent laryngeal branch of the vagus |
| Actions | Adduct and medially rotate the cartilage, pulling the vocal ligaments towards the midline and backwards and so closing off the rima glottidis |
| Antagonist | Posterior cricoarytenoid muscle |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | musculus cricoarytaenoideus lateralis |
| TA98 | A06.2.08.006 |
| TA2 | 2198 |
| FMA | 46579 |
| Anatomical terms of muscle | |
The lateral cricoarytenoid (also anterior cricoarytenoid) is an intrinsic muscle of the larynx. It attaches at the cricoid cartilage anteriorly, and at the arytenoid cartilage of the same side posteriorly. It is innervated by the recurrent laryngeal nerve. It acts to close the rima glottidis, thus closing the airway.