trachea

(noun)

a thin-walled, cartilaginous tube connecting the larynx to the bronchi; the windpipe

Related Terms

Examples of trachea in the following topics:

  • Trachea

    • The trachea is part of the conducting zone for air into and out 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 mucus and cilia of the trachea form the mucociliary escalator, which lines the cells of the trachea with mucus to trap inhaled foreign particles.
    • 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.

  • Mammalian Systems and Protective Mechanisms

    • From the nasal cavity, air passes through the pharynx and the larynx to the trachea .
    • The cartilage provides strength and support to the trachea to keep the passage open.
    • The end of the trachea bifurcates to the right and left lungs, which are not identical.
    • The trachea bifurcates into the right and left bronchi in the lungs.
    • The trachea and bronchi are made of incomplete rings of cartilage.

  • 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 cricoid cartilage connects the larynx to the trachea from below.
    • The folds of the larynx close and move upwards during swallowing, which causes the 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.

  • Thyroid Gland

    • The thyroid gland, one of the largest endocrine glands in the body, is located in the neck, just below the larynx and in front of the trachea .
    • The location of the thyroid gland is in the neck below the larynx and in front of the trachea; it is the largest endocrine gland in the body, producing T3, T4, and calcitonin.

  • Organogenesis

    • It also forms the lining cells of all the glands which open into the digestive tube, including those of the liver and pancreas; the epithelium of the auditory tube and tympanic cavity; the trachea, bronchi, and air cells of the lungs; the urinary bladder and part of the urethra; and the follicle lining of the thyroid gland and thymus.
    • Additionally, the endoderm forms internal organs including the stomach, the colon, the liver, the pancreas, the urinary bladder, the epithelial parts of trachea, the lungs, the pharynx, the thyroid, the parathyroid, and the intestines.

  • 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.