The Larynx is Part of the Upper Airway
The larynx is definitively classified as part of the upper airway, serving as the gateway between the upper and lower respiratory tracts. 1
Anatomical Classification
The upper airway consists of:
- Nasal passages
- Pharynx (nasopharynx, oropharynx, and laryngopharynx)
- Larynx
The lower airway begins at the trachea (below the larynx) and continues through the mainstem bronchi into the lungs 2.
Clinical Significance
This distinction has critical implications for airway management:
In tracheostomy patients, the upper airway (including the larynx) remains potentially patent and anatomically connected to the trachea, which is why these patients can theoretically be ventilated via both the upper airway and the tracheostomy stoma 3.
In laryngectomy patients, the upper airway is surgically disconnected from the trachea - "the upper airway is not, and cannot be, connected to the trachea" 3. This creates a fundamental difference in emergency airway management, as these patients can only be oxygenated through their neck stoma, not through the mouth or nose 3.
Functional Role
The larynx serves three primary functions 4:
- Voice production (phonation)
- Airway protection during swallowing (preventing aspiration)
- Respiratory valve controlling airflow between upper and lower airways
The larynx extends from its entrance (formed by the aryepiglottic folds and epiglottis) down to the lower border of the cricoid cartilage, where it transitions to the trachea - marking the boundary between upper and lower airways 2.
Common Pitfall
Do not confuse the larynx with the trachea. The trachea begins at the lower edge of the cricoid cartilage and extends to the carina, representing the start of the lower respiratory tract 2.