trachea

Examples of trachea in the following topics:

• Trachea

  • The trachea is part of the conducting zone for air into and out of the lungs.
  • The trachea is a long tube that extends from the pharynx and larynx to the bronchi of the lungs.
  • At the top of the trachea and bottom of the larynx is the cricoid cartilage, the only complete ring of cartilage in the trachea.
  • The esophagus lies behind the trachea.
  • This is the trachea in relation to the rest of the respiratory system.

• Intubation During Anesthesia

  • Tracheal intubation is the placement of a flexible tube into the trachea to maintain an open airway or to facilitate drug administration.
  • The most widely used route is orotracheal, in which an endotracheal tube is passed through the mouth and vocal apparatus into the trachea.
  • Actual or impending airway obstruction is a common indication for decreased O2 saturation requiring intubation of the trachea.
  • Severe blunt or penetrating injury to the face or neck may be accompanied by swelling and an expanding hematoma, or injury to the larynx, trachea, or bronchi.
  • Tracheotomy consists of making an incision on the front of the neck and opening a direct airway through an incision in the trachea.

• Larynx

  • The larynx is an organ in the neck involved in breathing, sound production, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration.
  • It connects the inferior part of the pharynx (laryngopharynx) with the trachea.
  • The larynx extends vertically from the tip of the epiglottis to the border of the cricoid cartilage that marks the formal beginning of the trachea.
  • The folds of the larynx close and move upwards during swallowing, which causes the connected epiglottis to close off the trachea.
  • This helps prevent aspiration of food into the lungs or choking from a blockage of food in the trachea.

• Bronchi and Subdivisions

  • The bronchi and bronchioles are considered anatomical dead space, like the trachea and upper respiratory tract because no gas exchange takes place within this zone.
  • The point where the trachea divides into the bronchi is called the carina.
  • The histology of the bronchi are largely similar to that of the trachea.
  • There is hyaline (transparent and consisting of collagen) cartilage present in the bronchi, in rings that are more irregular than those in the trachea.
  • Like the trachea, the bronchi and bronchioles are part of the conducting zone, so they moisten and warm air and contribute to the volume of anatomical dead space.

• Tracheotomy and Intubation

  • Tracheotomy consists of making an incision on the anterior aspect of the neck and opening a direct airway via an incision in the trachea.
  • Among the oldest described surgical procedures, tracheotomy (also referred to as pharyngotomy, laryngotomy, and tracheostomy) consists of making an incision on the anterior aspect of the neck and opening a direct airway through an incision in the trachea as shown in .
  • Intubation into the trachea may be performed through the mouth (orotracheal intubation) or through the nose (nasotracheal intubation).

• Arch of the Aorta

  • The arch of the aorta runs at first upward, backward, and to the left in front of the trachea; it is then directed backward on the left side of the trachea, and it finally passes downward on the left side of the body of the fourth thoracic vertebra.

• Pharynx

  • The epiglottis lies between the oropharynx and the laryngopharynx, and it is a flap of elastic cartilage that closes during swallowing to ensure food enters the esophagus rather than the trachea.
  • The laryngopharynx or hypopharynx is the caudal part of the pharynx; it is the part of the throat that connects to the esophagus and trachea.
  • During swallowing, the epiglottis closes over the trachea and air passage temporarily stops.

• Skin and Mucosae (Surface Barriers)

  • They are at several places attached to skin: at the nostrils, the mouth, the lips, the eyelids, the genital area, but are also located within the body cavities, such as in the stomach, anus, trachea, and ears.
  • While the skin simply prevents pathogen entry, more specialized structures like the mucocilliary escalator in the trachea work by trapping pathogens in mucus secretions, and use cilia to push them out of the trachea to prevent entry into the lungs.

• Esophagus

  • Once food material is pushed into the throat, or pharynx, the trachea (windpipe) is blocked by a flap of tissue known as the epiglottis, preventing aspiration of food.

• Overview of the Thyroid Gland

  • The organ is situated on the anterior side of the neck, lying against and around the larynx and trachea, reaching posteriorly the oesophagus and carotid sheath.