The right main bronchus is the airway carrying air from the trachea into the right lung. It is shorter (about 2.5 cm), wider and more vertical than the left. Before entering the lung it gives off the right upper lobe bronchus, and it continues as the bronchus intermedius.
| Location | From the carina downwards and laterally to the hilum of the right lung, with the arch of the azygos vein curving over it and the right pulmonary artery in front. |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Pulmonary plexus; Vagus nerve (parasympathetic, bronchoconstriction and mucus secretion); Sympathetic fibres from T2-T5 ganglia (bronchodilation) |
| Blood Supply | Bronchial arteries |
| Venous drainage |
|
| Lymphatic drainage |
|
Conducts air to and from the three lobes of the right lung.
Because it is wider and more in line with the trachea, inhaled foreign bodies and aspirated material more often enter the right main bronchus, and an endotracheal tube pushed too far usually goes here. Aspiration pneumonia therefore favours the right lower lobe. The upper lobe bronchus arises very close to the carina, which affects one-lung ventilation and surgery.
Inhalation of an object, most often lodging on the right side. It causes choking, wheeze on one side, and if missed, recurrent pneumonia.
Central lung cancers often arise in or near the main bronchi. They may present with cough, coughing up blood or lung collapse beyond the blockage.
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