The free margin between these two points of attachment is thickened to form the vocal ligament, which is under the vocal fold (true vocal cord) of the larynx.
The conus elasticus is also thickened anteriorly in the midline to form a distinct median cricothyroid ligament, which spans the distance between the arch of cricoid cartilage and the inferior thyroid notch and adjacent deep surface of the thyroid cartilage up to the attachment of the vocal ligaments.