Hyoid Bone

Hyoid Bone

The hyoid bone is a horseshoe-shaped bone situated in the anterior midline of the neck between the chin and the thyroid cartilage at the level of the base of the mandible in humans. It is the only bone in the human body that does not articulate with any other bone, being anchored by muscles from the anterior, posterior and inferior directions.

Structure

The hyoid bone provides attachment to the muscles of the floor of the mouth and the tongue above, the larynx below, and the epiglottis and pharynx behind. It is divided into three parts: the body, and the greater and lesser horns, also known as the cornua.

Body

The body of the hyoid bone is the central part. It is of a quadrilateral form and is suspended by the stylohyoid ligament and the thyrohyoid membrane.

Greater Cornua

The greater cornua project backward from the outer borders of the body; they are flattened from above downward and taper to their end, which is a bony tubercle connecting to the thyroid cartilage.

Lesser Cornua

The lesser cornua are two small conical eminences, attached to the body of the bone by fibrous tissue. They are situated in the junction line between the body and greater cornua.

Function

The hyoid bone is responsible for holding the tongue and serves as an attachment point for several muscles that help elevate the larynx during swallowing and speech.

Clinical Significance

The hyoid bone is often fractured in cases of strangulation, and thus, can serve as a forensic indicator of such an event. It also plays a role in various surgical procedures such as thyroidectomy and laryngectomy.

See Also

• Laryngeal skeleton
• Thyroid cartilage
• Cricoid cartilage