The cricothyroid joint in elderly Japanese individuals

• Published in: Anatomical science international 2016-06, Vol.91 (3), p.250-257
• Main Authors: Serikawa, Masamitu, Yamamoto, Masahito, Kawamoto, Ai, Katori, Yukio, Kinoshita, Hideaki, Matsunaga, Satoru, Abe, Shin-ichi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging - pathology; Anatomy; Animal Anatomy; Animal Physiology; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Cadaver; Cadavers; Capillaries; Cartilage diseases; CD3 antigen; Cell Biology; Coagulation factors; Cricoid Cartilage - anatomy & histology; Cricoid Cartilage - pathology; Degeneration; Female; Fibers; Geriatrics; Gliding; Histology; Human Physiology; Humans; Immunoglobulin M; Ligaments; Ligaments, Articular - anatomy & histology; Ligaments, Articular - pathology; Lymphocytes; Macrophages; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Morphology; Musculoskeletal system; Neurosciences; Original Article; Ossification; Osteoarthritis; Osteoarthritis - pathology; Synovial Membrane - pathology; Thyroid Cartilage - anatomy & histology; Thyroid Cartilage - pathology
• ISSN: 1447-6959; 1447-073X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12565-015-0294-x

Using 15 cricothyroid joint (CT joint) specimens obtained from donated cadavers of elderly individuals, we examined the morphologies of the ceratocricoid ligaments as well as the synovial tissue. The ligaments consistently contained abundant elastic fibers: the fibers tended to be straight on the anterior side in contrast to a mesh-like arrangement on the posterior side. Thick and/or long synovial folds were often evident in the CT joint. The synovial tissue usually contained CD68-positive macrophages, but the positive cells were often restricted to certain parts of the tissue. Factor VIII-positive capillaries were present but few in number, and CD3- or IgM-positive lymphocytes were absent in the synovial tissue. Degenerative changes in the joint cartilage, such as roughness or thinning, were often present, but no cartilage defects were evident. Therefore, in contrast to the small, non-weight-bearing joints of the musculoskeletal system, we considered the degeneration of the CT joint to be a specific, silent form of osteoarthritis. For high-pitched phonation and ossification of the laryngeal cartilage, the CT joint in elderly individuals seemed to maintain its anterior gliding and rotation with the aid of elastic fiber-rich tissues compensating for the loss of congruity between the joint cartilage surfaces.