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Trachea (Windpipe)

The trachea or windpipe extends from the larynx down to about the level of the 5th thoracic vertebra, where it divides into the right and left primary bronchi. It is composed of rings of hyaline cartilage held together by smooth muscle and lined with ciliated epithelium. The trachea maintains an open airway, and its cilia and mucus trap particles to be expelled by coughing or swallowed.

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zenith parmar
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101 views

Trachea (Windpipe)

The trachea or windpipe extends from the larynx down to about the level of the 5th thoracic vertebra, where it divides into the right and left primary bronchi. It is composed of rings of hyaline cartilage held together by smooth muscle and lined with ciliated epithelium. The trachea maintains an open airway, and its cilia and mucus trap particles to be expelled by coughing or swallowed.

Uploaded by

zenith parmar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Trachea

(windpipe)
Position
The trachea or windpipe is a continuation of the
larynx and extends downwards to about the level of
the 5th thoracic vertebra where it divides at the
carina into the right and left primary bronchi, one
bronchus going to each lung. It is approximately 10
to 11 cm long and lies mainly in the median plane
in front of the oesophagus
Structures associated with the trachea
Superiorly – the larynx
Inferiorly – the right and left bronchi
Anteriorly – upper part: the isthmus of the
thyroid gland; lower part: the arch of the
aorta
Posteriorly – the oesophagus
separates the trachea from the
vertebral column
Laterally – the lungs and the lobes of
the thyroid gland.
Structure
The trachea is composed of three layers of tissue,
and held open by between 16 and 20 incomplete
(C-shaped) rings of hyaline cartilage lying one
above the other. The rings are incomplete
posteriorly.
The cartilages are embedded in a sleeve of smooth
muscle and connective tissue, which also forms
the posterior wall where the rings are incomplete.
The soft tissue posterior wall is in contact with the
oesophagus
The outer layer contains the fibrous and elastic
tissue and encloses the cartilages.
The middle layer consists of cartilages and bands
of smooth muscle that wind round the trachea in a
helical arrangement. There is some areolar tissue,
containing blood and lymph vessels and autonomic
nerves.
The lining is ciliated columnar epithelium,
containing mucus-secreting goblet cells
Blood and nerve supply
The arterial blood supply is mainly by
the inferior thyroid and bronchial
arteries and
the venous return is by the inferior
thyroid veins into the brachiocephalic
veins.
Parasympathetic nerve supply is by
the recurrent laryngeal nerves
Parasympathetic stimulation
constricts the trachea, and
sympathetic stimulation dilates it.
Functions
Support and patency
Tracheal cartilages hold the trachea permanently
open (patent), but the soft tissue bands in between
the cartilages allow flexibility so that the head and
neck can move freely without obstructing or
kinking the trachea
Mucociliary escalator
This is the synchronous and regular
beating of the cilia of the mucous
membrane lining that wafts
mucus with adherent particles upwards
towards the larynx where it is either
swallowed or coughed
Cough reflex

Nerve endings in the larynx, trachea and bronchi


are sensitive to irritation, which generates nerve
impulses conducted by the vagus nerves to the
respiratory centre in the brain stem

The abdominal and respiratory muscles then


contract and suddenly the air is released under
pressure expelling mucus and/or foreign material
from the mouth.
Warming, humidifying and filtering
These continue as in the nose,
although air is normally saturated
and at body temperature when it
reaches the trachea.

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