International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology
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Int. J. Pediatr. Otorhinolaryngol. · Dec 1993
The intrinsic response of the cricoid cartilage to vertical division.
The explanation for the separation in the cricoid cartilage after the anterior cricoid split procedure has been a matter of speculation. Whether it is caused by extrinsic factors such as stenting, contraction of laryngeal muscles, fibrosis, or whether it is due to the intrinsic nature of the cricoid cartilage itself has yet to be defined. ⋯ Our results showed the cricoid cartilage to immediately separate, and that separation to markedly increase during whole organ culture. These results suggest that while extrinsic factors may modify the gap after the anterior cricoid split procedure, the intrinsic nature of the cricoid cartilage itself results in the gap formation.