Epiglottis
The epiglottis is a leaf-shaped flap in the throat that prevents food from entering the windpipe and the lungs. It is made of elastic cartilage covered with a mucous membrane. Epiglottitis is mainly caused by the vaccine-preventable bacteria Haemophilus influenzae. In many languages, the epiglotte is not essential for producing sounds.
About Epiglottis in brief
The epiglottis is a leaf-shaped flap in the throat that prevents food from entering the windpipe and the lungs. It stands 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. It is made of elastic cartilage covered with a mucous membrane. Epiglottitis is mainly caused by the vaccine-preventable bacteria Haemophilus influenzae. In many languages, the epiglotte is not essential for producing sounds, though it is used to produce consonant sounds in some languages. It does not cause any serious problem apart from maybe a mild sensation of a foreign body in the mouth.
It can be seen as a distinct structure later than the other cartilage of the pharynx, visible around the fifth month of development. In infants, it touches the soft palate, whereas in adults, its position is lower. A person with epiglottiitis may have a fever, sore throat, difficulty swallowing and difficulty breathing. For this reason, acute pharyngeal obstruction is considered a medical emergency, because the risk of the obstruction of the throat is very high. The condition is seen more often in children than adults and does not need any medical or surgical intervention.
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This page is based on the article Epiglottis published in Wikipedia (as of Dec. 05, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
