hi let's talk about the trachea
in this video we'll discuss the structure features and functions of the trachea
so the trachea or the windpipe is the connection between the larynx and the primary bronchi
so the uh the trachea hangs from the larynx by the cricotracheal ligament so that's the
cricoid cartilage there and so the cricotracheal ligament is between the larynx and the trachea
that beginning is approximately at about the sixth cervical vertebra level the trachea runs anterior
to the esophagus it is a tube whose patency is maintained by hyaline cartilaginous rings that are
incomplete posteriorly as we'll see there are generally about 13 or so of those
rings throughout the length of the trachea and the trachea bifurcates into the primary bronchi
at approximately the sternal angle so if you're palpating your manubrium
in the body of the sternum that ridge between the two is your sternal angle that's where
the second ribs are going to articulate with the sternum so within the trachea there is going to
be a ridge or an elevation of mucosa that sits between these primary bronchi and that is known
as the karina karina means keel of a of a ship and that carina is very richly innervated so if
anything were to actually be inhaled and make it through the larynx and down the trachea and
and touch that carina it would throw an individual into a severe bout of of coughing and bronchospasm
so this is a posterior view of a cadaveric specimen of a trachea and we can see that
anteriorly those those hyaline cartilages are are very robust helping to maintain the patency
of their way and posteriorly you know the part that's in contact with the esophagus is is very
sort of flabby here that anterior part's been opened up and we can see that posterior part
and it is imbued with smooth muscle called trachealis muscle and that trachealis muscle
is under autonomic control and as is the smooth muscle of the remainder of the conducting
portion of the airway so during a sympathetic response that smooth muscle is relaxed and the
airway is as patent as can be so as to encourage the movement of air in and out of the lungs
so that leads us to the assessment question of this video and that is the trachea sits in what
relative anatomical position to the esophagus is it anterior yep lateral nope medial nope
posterior nope it's probably a good thing that the trachea sits anterior to the esophagus because
you have better access to the respiratory system that way if there is a need for a cricothyrotomy
that would be uh incising through the median cricothyroid ligament of the larynx or a
tracheostomy that would be an incision through the trachea itself and the skin superficial to
it so as to maintain a more long-term airway that's possible because the respiratory portion
i.e the trachea and larynx sit anterior to the esophagus so thank you very much for your time