trachea

Question 1

trachea

Answer 1

Summary: The Trachea (Windpipe)
The trachea, also known as the windpipe, is the tube that carries air from the larynx to the lungs.

It is about 10–12 cm (4 inches) long.

It extends down to the level of the fifth thoracic vertebra — which is located around the middle of your chest.

Question 2

trachea rings

Answer 2

The trachea is fairly rigid because its walls are reinforced with C-shaped rings of hyaline cartilage.

These rings serve two main purposes:

The open part of the C-rings faces the esophagus (which is right behind the trachea).

This allows the esophagus to expand forward when you swallow large pieces of food.

The solid (front) parts of the rings provide structure and support.

They keep the trachea open (patent) during breathing, even when pressure changes inside the chest.

The trachealis muscle is located at the back of the trachea, next to the esophagus.

It completes the tracheal wall where the C-rings are open and helps with coughing and controlling airflow.

Question 3

choking

Answer 3

Because the trachea is the only way air can enter the lungs, tracheal obstruction is life-threatening. Many people have suffocated after choking on a piece of food that suddenly closed off the trachea (or the glottis of the larynx). The Heimlich maneuver, a procedure in which the air in a person’s own lungs is used to “pop out,” or expel, an obstructing piece of food, has saved many people from becoming victims of choking. The Heimlich maneuver is simple to learn and easy to do. However, it is best learned by demonstration because cracked ribs are a distinct possibility when it is done incorrectly. In some cases of obstructed breathing, an emergency tracheostomy (tra′ke-ost′o-me; surgical opening of the trachea) is done to provide an alternative route for air to reach the lungs. Individuals with tracheostomy tubes in place form huge amounts of mucus the first few days because of irritation to the trachea. Thus, they must be suctioned frequently during this time to prevent the mucus from pooling in their lungs.

Question 4

cilliated mucosa

Answer 4

The trachea is lined with ciliated mucosa — a tissue that has tiny hair-like structures called cilia.

These cilia beat upward (toward the throat) in a continuous motion.

The lining also contains goblet cells, which produce mucus.

The mucus traps dust, dirt, and other debris from the air you breathe in.

The cilia move the dirty mucus upward to the throat, where it can be swallowed or spit out.

Question 5

how smoking inhibits cillia

Answer 5

Smoking inhibits and ultimately destroys the cilia. Without these cilia, coughing is the only means of preventing mucus from accumulating in the lungs. Smokers with respiratory congestion should avoid medications that inhibit the cough reflex.