Understanding Pretracheal Anatomy: Locations and Structures

Pretracheal refers to a location or structure that is situated before or anterior to the trachea. In other words, it is something that is located near the front of the throat, just above the trachea.

For example, the pretracheal space is a small area between the thyroid cartilage and the cricoid cartilage in the neck, just above the trachea. This space contains some important structures such as the superior laryngeal nerve and the inferior thyroid artery.

Another example, the pretracheal muscles are a group of muscles that are located in the pretracheal space and help to control the movement of the larynx (voice box) during breathing and speaking. These muscles include the sternothyreoideus, cricothyreoideus, and thyroarytenoid muscles.