The hyoepiglottic ligament is an elastic band connecting the anterior surface of the epiglottis

Epiglottis

The epiglottis is a flap that is made of elastic cartilage tissue covered with a mucous membrane, attached to the entrance of the larynx. It projects obliquely upwards behind the tongue and the hyoid bone, pointing dorsally. The term, like tonsils, is often incorrectly used to refer to the uvula...

 to the upper border of the body of the hyoid bone. It is clinically important in performing direct laryngoscopy

Laryngoscopy

Laryngoscopy is a medical procedure that is used to obtain a view of the vocal folds and the glottis. Laryngoscopy may be performed to facilitate tracheal intubation during general anesthesia or cardiopulmonary resuscitation or for procedures on the larynx or other parts of the upper...

 with a Macintosh

Robert Reynolds Macintosh

Sir Robert Reynolds Macintosh was a New Zealand-born anaesthetist. He was the first Professor of Anaesthetics outside United States.-Early life:...

 laryngoscope blade; the blade tip is placed in the vallecula

Epiglottic vallecula

The epiglottic vallecula is a depression just behind the root of the tongue between the folds in the throat. These depressions serve as "spit traps"; saliva is temporarily held in the valleculae to prevent initiation of the swallowing reflex....

 and moved anteriorly, which causes the hyoepiglottic ligament to pull the epiglottis

Epiglottis

The epiglottis is a flap that is made of elastic cartilage tissue covered with a mucous membrane, attached to the entrance of the larynx. It projects obliquely upwards behind the tongue and the hyoid bone, pointing dorsally. The term, like tonsils, is often incorrectly used to refer to the uvula...

 anteriorly as well and thus expose the glottis

Glottis

The glottis is defined as the combination of the vocal folds and the space in between the folds .-Function:...

.