Triticeal cartilage: the forgotten cartilage.
BACKGROUND
The triticeal cartilage (TC) is a small cartilage found within the thyrohyoid membrane. The TC has a variable prevalence between and within individuals. It has been suggested that absence of a TC results from its failure to separate from the superior horn of the thyroid cartilage (SHTC) and that individuals without a TC will have a longer SHTC. This study aims to identify the prevalence of the TC and investigate the relationship between the length of the SHTC and presence of a TC.


METHODS
Eighty seven adult cadavers underwent dissection. Data were collected on presence or absence of a TC and lengths of SHTC.


RESULTS
A TC was identified in 28 cadavers (33%). In cadavers with a unilateral TC, there was no significant difference between the lengths of the SHTC on sides with a TC (1.6 mm, ±SEM 0.12 mm) to sides without a TC (1.7 mm, ±SEM 0.10 mm) (P = 0.47). In cadavers with no TCs, the length of the SHTCs (1.8 mm, ±SEM 0.04 mm) was significantly longer than the SHTCs of cadavers with a TC present bilaterally (1.4 mm, ±SEM 0.12 mm) (P = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
A TC was found in 33% of cadavers. This study demonstrates a relationship between the presence of a TC and the length of the SHTC only in cadavers with a TC present or absent bilaterally.
Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK. iainwilson@doctors.org.uk.
Iain
I
Wilson
Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
J
J
Stevens
Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
J
J
Gnananandan
Cardiovascular Division, King's College London, London, UK.
A
A
Nabeebaccus
Department of Histopathology, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
A
A
Sandison
Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
A
A
Hunter
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002102:Cadaver; D004210:Dissection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013957:Thyroid Cartilage / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
Anatomy; Hyoid; Larynx; Thyrohyoid; Triticeal