title: Cricoarytenoid Articulation in Elderly Japanese With Special Reference to Morphology of the Synovial Tissue.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify composite fibers and cells in the synovial tissues of the cricoarytenoid joint (CA joint).
  
  
  METHODS
  Routine histology and immunohistrochemistry using sagittal or nearly sagittal sections obtained from 18 elderly cadaveric specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CA joint capsule was thin and contained few elastic fibers. A limited supportive ligament, namely, a thickened fascia of the posterior cricoarytenoid muscles, was sometimes evident on the lateral aspect of the CA joint. However, even in the weaker medial aspect of the joint, no marked destruction of the synovial tissues was found. The CA joint always contained synovial folds--a short medial fold and long lateral folds--but these contained no or few macrophages, lymphocytes, and blood capillaries. In 2 exceptional specimens showing inflammatory cell infiltration in the submucosal tissue of the larynx, the macrophage-rich area extended toward the capsule and medial synovial fold.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lateral aspect of the CA joint was likely to be supported mechanically by the muscle-associated tissues. Strong support of the arytenoid by muscles might reduce the degree of CA joint injury with age. However, some patients with hoarseness due to mucosal inflammation of the larynx might have accompanying synovitis and subsequent cartilage injury in the CA joint.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan putchsan@mail.goo.ne.jp.
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawamoto-Hirano
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Honkura
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Anatomy, School of Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shunichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Tokyo Dental College, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Division of Internal Medicine, Iwamizawa Asuka Hospital, Iwamizawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katori
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001193:Arytenoid Cartilage / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000166:cytology; D002102:Cadaver; D002196:Capillaries / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003413:Cricoid Cartilage / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000166:cytology; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008022:Ligaments / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000166:cytology
keywords: capsule; cricoarytenoid joint; elastic fibers; human anatomy; macrophages; synovial fold