Vestibular fold

The vestibular fold (ventricular fold, superior or false vocal cord) is one of two thick folds of mucous membrane, each enclosing a narrow band of fibrous tissue, the ventricular ligament which is attached in front to the angle of the thyroid cartilage immediately below the attachment of the epiglottis, and behind to the antero-lateral surface of the arytenoid cartilage, a short distance above the vocal process.

The lower border of this ligament, enclosed in mucous membrane, forms a free crescentic margin, which constitutes the upper boundary of the ventricle of the larynx.

The vestibular folds of the larynx play a greater role in keeping food and drink out of the airway, breathing, and phonation (speech).[http://www.otojournal.org/article/S0194-5998(04)01828-5/abstract] People who have had their epiglottis removed because of cancer do not choke any more than when it was present.

Additional images

vestibular fold

Translation of "Vestibular fold"

German: Taschenband, Polish: Fałd przedsionkowy, Swedish: Fickband.