Pharyngeal branches of recurrent laryngeal nerve

Pharyngeal branches of recurrent laryngeal nerve innervate the inferior constrictor muscle of pharynx and the cricopharyngeal muscle.

The recurrent laryngeal nerve comes off as a branch from the vagus nerve after it exits from the jugular foramen. The nerve descends and eventually hooks around the subclavian artery on the right side, while around the arch of aorta on the left side. Following this looping, the recurrent laryngeal nerves–on both sides–ascend in the tracheoesophageal groove and pierce through the inferior constrictor muscle of pharynx to enter into the larynx. Here, the pharyngeal branches of recurrent laryngeal nerve are given off to the inferior pharyngeal constrictor and cricopharyngeal muscles, prior to the recurrent laryngeal nerve entering into the larynx.