epiglottis
Sign in to saveThe epiglottis (: epiglottises or epiglottides) is a leaf-shaped flap in the throat that prevents food and water from entering the trachea and the lungs. It stays open during breathing, allowing air into the larynx. During swallowing, it closes to prevent aspiration of food into the lungs, forcing the swallowed liquids or food to go along the esophagus toward the stomach instead. It is thus the valve that diverts passage to either the trachea or the esophagus.
Key facts
- Anatomy.Name
- Epiglottis
- Anatomy.Latin
- epiglottis
- Anatomy.Greek
- ἐπιγλωττίς
- Anatomy.Image
- Gray958.png
- Anatomy.Caption
- View of the larynx from behind. The epiglottis is the structure at the top of the image.
- Anatomy.Precursor
- Fourth pharyngeal arch
- Anatomy.Function
- Prevent food from entering the respiratory tract
via Wikipedia infobox
Research
4,822 papers- Bifid epiglottis.International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology · 1999
- Bifid epiglottis.The Annals of otology, rhinology, and laryngology · 1996
- Epiglottis collapse in adult obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review.The Laryngoscope · 2016
- Bifid epiglottis syndrome.International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology · 1995
- Significance of bifid epiglottis.American journal of medical genetics. Part A · 2005
via PubMed
Article
17 sectionsContents
- Structure
- Microanatomy
- Development
- Variation
- Function
- Swallowing
- Speech sounds
- Clinical significance
- Inflammation
- Aspiration
- Other
- Other animals
- History
- Additional images
- See also
- References
- External links
The epiglottis (: epiglottises or epiglottides) is a leaf-shaped flap in the throat that prevents food and water from entering the trachea and the lungs. It stays open during breathing, allowing air into the larynx. During swallowing, it closes to prevent aspiration of food into the lungs, forcing the swallowed liquids or food to go along the esophagus toward the stomach instead. It is thus the valve that diverts passage to either the trachea or the esophagus.
The epiglottis is made of elastic cartilage covered with a mucous membrane, attached to the entrance of the larynx. It projects upwards and backwards behind the tongue and the hyoid bone.