Trachea
The trachea, more commonly called the windpipe, is the tube that connects the larynx to the lungs. The trachea is about 6 inches long in adults, and about an inch in diameter. In the upper part of the thoracic cavity the trachea branches into two parts, one entering each lung. For every breath a person takes, air comes into the lungs through the trachea and is exhaled back out through the trachea. The esophagus carries food from the mouth to the stomach. The esophagus is behind the trachea in the throat. If food were to get into the trachea instead of the esophagus it causes choking or coughing and could damage the lungs. To prevent this from happening there is a flap in the back of the throat called the epiglottis which folds over the trachea as food is swallowed.
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The trachea is made of cartilage rings that contract and expand as the person breathes. Between the rings is an outer layer of thick fibrous tissue with an inside layer of thin fibrous tissue. Muscle fiber also runs along the trachea.
Studies have shown that asbestos fibers held in contact with the mucus membrane that lines the trachea, cause the membrane to become inflamed, and put out more mucus. In some more serious cases it made existing tumors worse, and caused some tumors and problems with the connective tissue in the throat.
Surgeries done on the trachea are generally done to remove tumors or scar tissue from previous trauma to the trachea. Scarring of the trachea is more serious than scarring in a lot of other places in the body because it can cause the trachea to narrow making it difficult to breathe. The area presents special challenges during surgery because of the difficulty of administering anesthesia in the same area as the area being operated on.