The trachea is held open by 16-20 C-shaped rings of hyaline cartilage, open at the back where the trachealis muscle and fibrous tissue complete the ring. The rings keep the airway from collapsing while letting the oesophagus behind expand when we swallow.
| Location | In the wall of the trachea, from C6 to about T4-T5 |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Recurrent laryngeal nerves; Sympathetic trunk |
| Blood Supply | Inferior thyroid arteries; Bronchial arteries |
| Venous drainage |
|
| Lymphatic drainage |
|
Provide a stiff but flexible framework that keeps the trachea open during breathing and coughing.
Tracheostomy is usually made through the 2nd-4th rings. Weakened cartilage (tracheomalacia) lets the airway collapse on breathing out, and long-term intubation can damage the rings and cause tracheal stenosis. The rings calcify with age and are seen on CT.
Softening of the tracheal cartilages so the airway collapses during breathing or coughing.
Narrowing of the trachea, often after prolonged intubation or tracheostomy.
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