Ossified Cartilago thyreoidea and its clinical insight: a cadaveric study.

Abstract

The three major cartilages of the larynx - thyroid, cricoid, and arytenoids are all hyaline cartilage. They may undergo calcification or endochondral ossification (or both), such calcified or ossified cartilage may compress the neuro vascular structures around it. Accordingly the present study was undertaken to observe the incidence of the ossified thyroid cartilages (Cartilago Thyreoidea) in the human cadavers, discuss its clinical implications and to review the literature regarding these anatomical variations. This study was carried out on 54 human cadavers at Department of Anatomy-Santhiram Medical College Nandyal, Department of Anatomy-Melaka Manipal Medical College (MMMC)-Manipal and Department of Anatomy,Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal Karnataka.Early ossified thyroid cartilages were detected in 4 female cadavers out of 54 human [27 male and 27 female] cadavers. To the best of our knowledge, early calcified thyroid cartilages observed in this study have not been cited in modern literature. Frequently, the partly ossified cartilages create a diagnostic problem for the radiologist examining for foreign bodies. Proper knowledge and diagnosis of such calcified or ossified thyroid cartilages assists the clinician in the appropriate management of the patient.