What it means
A tube held open by C-shaped rings of cartilage, running from the larynx (voice box) down the front of the neck into the chest, where it splits into the right and left main bronchi. It should sit in the middle of the neck. A shift to one side can happen when pressure builds up in one side of the chest, such as with a tension pneumothorax.
For the nurse
Check that the trachea is midline when assessing the neck and chest. A breathing tube (endotracheal intubationen-doh-TRAY-kee-ul in-too-BAY-shunPutting a breathing tube through the mouth or nose into the windpipe (trachea).endo- withintrache/o windpipe-al relating toFull entry ) or a tracheostomy is placed in the trachea; suction only as deep as policy allows to avoid injury.
At a glance
| Everyday words | windpipe |
|---|---|
| Spanish | tráquea |
| Also written | tracheas, tracheal |
Related terms
endotracheal intubation
Putting a breathing tube through the mouth or nose into the windpipe (trachea).
alveolus
One of the tiny air sacs at the ends of the smallest airways in the lungs.
airway
The passages that carry air into and out of the lungs, from the nose and mouth to the smallest air tubes.