henkitorvi

Henkitorvi is the Finnish term for the trachea, the windpipe that forms part of the upper airway. In medical and anatomical contexts, it denotes the tube that conducts air from the larynx toward the lungs.

Anatomy: In adults, the trachea is about 10 to 12 cm long and roughly 2 cm in diameter. It consists of C-shaped cartilaginous rings anteriorly and laterally, bridged by a flexible membranous wall at the back (the trachealis). The lumen is lined by pseudostratified ciliated epithelium with goblet cells, which produce mucus and move it upward. The esophagus lies behind it; the trachea divides into the right and left main bronchi at the carina, near the level of the sternal angle (approximately T4–T5).

Function: It provides a patent airway, warms and humidifies inhaled air, and filters particles. Mucociliary clearance, driven by cilia atop the epithelial cells, removes debris from the lower airways.

Clinical relevance: Medical procedures such as endotracheal intubation and tracheostomy access the trachea. Conditions that can affect the henkitorvi include tracheitis, tracheal stenosis, and tracheomalacia; infections, tumors, and trauma may impair breathing and require clinical management.

Terminology: Henkitorvi is the Finnish term for this structure; international medical usage typically uses trachea. The term appears in Finnish-language educational and clinical materials and is used to describe the same anatomical entity in health care.