Trachea and bronchial tree

Trachea

• The trachea connects the larynx to the bronchial tree.
• It is made of C shaped cartilaginous (hyaline) rings, mucous membranes, and a smooth muscle (trachialis).
• It is located anterior to the esophagus, and it starts just below the cricoid cartilage (C6) and descends down until the transverse thoracic plane (between the sternal angle and T4-5 IV disc).
• The bottom terminal part of the trachea contains a part known as the carina (internal ridge): a projection of the last tracheal cartilage that separates the trachea to the right and left main bronchi. The carina is located at the level of the sternal angle.
• The right primary bronchus is wider, shorter, and more vertical than the left primary bronchus.

Trachea

Path

Syntopy

Bronchial tree

Arrangement of the bronchial tree

Clinical information

Neurovasculature

Blood supply

Innervation

Lymph drainage

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