Posterior commissure of the vocal folds

The posterior commissure of the vocal folds is a term historically used to describe the region at the posterior aspect of the glottis, between the vocal folds, where they approach but do not anatomically join.

Anatomically, the term "commissure" implies a joining, but in the human larynx, the bilateral vocal folds do not actually meet at their posterior ends. Instead, the posterior aspect of the glottis is formed by the interarytenoid region and the posterior cricoid cartilage, which serves as a supporting structure for the arytenoid cartilages. Thus, the "posterior commissure" refers to the area bounded by the medial surfaces of the arytenoid cartilages and the interarytenoid mucosa, but it is not a true commissure in the sense of tissue fusion or joining.

Embryologically, the posterior commissure is defined by the union of the cricoid cartilage at the midline posteriorly, forming a buttress for the arytenoid cartilages.

Functionally, this region is important for glottic closure and is a site where scarring or pathology can affect vocal fold mobility and airway patency.