trahee

Trahee is the Romanian term for the trachea, the windpipe and a central airway of the respiratory system. It connects the larynx to the bronchi and is commonly used in medical and anatomical contexts in Romania and other Romanian-speaking regions. In English, the equivalent term is trachea.

Anatomy and location: The trachea runs in the anterior neck and superior mediastinum, about 10 to 12 centimeters long in adults. It begins below the cricoid cartilage and ends at the carina, where it divides into the right and left main bronchi around the level of the sternal angle (T4–T5). Its anterior and lateral walls are reinforced by C-shaped hyaline cartilage rings that are open posteriorly, leaving a flexible posterior membranous wall.

Lining and function: The mucosa is lined by pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells, forming a mucociliary escalator that traps and clears particles. The trachea conducts inspired air, humidifies it, and helps filter contaminants. Blood supply comes from branches of the inferior thyroid and bronchial arteries; innervation from the vagus nerve and sympathetic fibers modulates airway tone and secretions.

Clinical and developmental notes: The trachea is a common site for procedures such as tracheostomy and endotracheal intubation. Trauma, infection, or congenital stenosis can impair airflow. Embryologically, the trachea originates from the foregut endoderm during the fourth to fifth weeks of gestation.

Etymology: The name derives from Latin trachea, from Greek trachea meaning rough, reflecting historical descriptions of the airway. Related terms include larynx, bronchi, and the broader respiratory tract.