Tracheobronchial tree Flashcards
what forms the tracheobronchial tree?
The trachea, bronchi and bronchioles form the tracheobronchial tree
what is the tracheobronchial tree?
a system of airways that allow passage of air into the lungs, where gas exchange occurs
where are the tracheobronchial tree airways located?
in the neck and thorax
what marks the beginning of the tracheobronchial tree?
The trachea
where does the trachea arise? what is it a continuation of?
It arises at the lower border of cricoid cartilage in the neck, as a continuation of the larynx
where does the tracheobronchial tree travel? what happens as it travels? what does it forms?
It travels inferiorly into the superior mediastinum, bifurcating at the level of the sternal angle (forming the right and left main bronchi)
what happens to the position of the trachea as it descends?
As it descends, the trachea is located anteriorly to the oesophagus, and inclines slightly to the right
what is the trachea held open by?
The trachea, like all of the larger respiratory airways, is held open by cartilage – here in C-shaped rings
what are the free ends of the C-shaped rings supported by?
trachealis muscle
what are the trachea and bronchi lined by? what is it interspersed by?
ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium, interspersed by goblet cells, which produce mucus
what do goblet cells produce?
mucus
what forms the functional mucociliary escalator?
The combination of sweeping movements by the cilia and mucus from the goblet cells forms the functional mucociliary escalator
what does the mucociliary escalator do?
This acts to trap inhaled particles and pathogens, moving them up out of the airways to be swallowed and destroyed
what happens at the bifurcation of the primary bronchi?
a ridge of cartilage called the carina runs anteroposteriorly between the openings of the two bronchi
what area is the carina?
This is the most sensitive area of the trachea for triggering the cough reflex, and can be seen on bronchoscopy
what does the trachea receive sensory innervation from?
the recurrent laryngeal nerve
where does arterial supply to the trachea come from?
comes from the tracheal branches of the inferior thyroid artery
what is venous drainage to the trachea via?
the brachiocephalic, azygos and accessory hemiazygos veins
what happens at the level of the sternal angle?
the trachea bifurcates into the right and left main bronchi
what do the left and right main bronchi undergo? produces?
They undergo further branching to produce the secondary bronchi
what do each secondary bronchi supply? what do they give rise to?
Each secondary bronchi supplies a lobe of the lung, and gives rise to several segmental bronchi
what makes up the roots of the lungs?
Along with branches of the pulmonary artery and veins, the main bronchi make up the roots of the lungs
what is right main bronchus like? where does it descend?
wider, shorter, and descends more vertically than its left-sided counterpart
clinically, what does the right bronchus result in?
Clinically, this results in a higher incidence of foreign body inhalation
