It is cut during an emergency cricothyrotomy to treat upper airway obstruction.

[1] The lateral portions are thinner and lie close under the mucous membrane of the larynx; they extend from the upper border of the cricoid cartilage to the lower margin of the vocal ligaments, with which they are continuous.

This kind of surgical intervention is necessary during airway obstruction above the level of vocal folds.

The cricothyroid ligament can be found in many other animals, such as cats,[4] dogs,[4] and horses.

[5] This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 1078 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)