The glomus bodies (“paraganglia”) of the human larynx

Two pairs of glomic bodies (“paraganglia”) occur in the larynx as originally described by German authors. They were independently found in 18 of 25 serially sectioned adult larynges. The superior laryngeal glomus is situated in the supraglottic larynx in the adult and neonate. The inferior laryngeal glomus is positionally more variable, usually occurring between the cricoid cartilage and the first tracheal ring in the adult and may extend to the thyroid gland. Three neonatal larynges were also examined for comparison. The glo-mera show no developmental enlargement and appear histologically identical. No glomic tissue was found in neonatal tracheas. Reports of laryngeal paraganglionic tumors or chemodectomas are reviewed and show anatomic correlation with the naturally occurring bodies.