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Book

Anatomy, Head and Neck, Trachea

Bryce Mieczkowski, Brian F. Seavey  1
In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan.
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Book

Anatomy, Head and Neck, Trachea

Bryce Mieczkowski et al.
Free Books & Documents

Excerpt

The trachea is a U-shaped structure that is composed of hyaline cartilage on the anterior and lateral walls, with the trachealis smooth muscle forming the posterior border of the trachea. The entire tracheal lumen is lined by ciliated pseudostratified columnar and goblet cells that create the tracheal mucosa. The trachea is part of the conducting airway system that begins immediately inferior to the larynx connected to the cricothyroid cartilage (C6 level) by the cricotracheal ligament. Followed by a series of 16 to 20 hyaline cartilage rings each is individually connected by an annular ligament and terminates at the carina (T5 level posteriorly| sternal angle anteriorly). It then splits into the right and left main bronchi.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Bryce Mieczkowski declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Brian Seavey declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

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