Tracheal Disorders
Educational information. Individual clinical review of this presentation by Dr. Ehsan is not yet documented. It does not replace personal medical evaluation.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Read the original source
MedlinePlus data edition September 26, 2026. Imported September 27, 2026. These dates do not indicate a new clinical review of the article.
Your trachea, or windpipe, is one part of your airway system. Airways are pipes that carry oxygen-rich air to your lungs. They also carry carbon dioxide, a waste gas, out of your lungs.
When you inhale, air travels from your nose, through your larynx, and down your windpipe. The windpipe splits into two bronchi that enter your lungs.
Problems with the trachea include narrowing, inflammation, and some inherited conditions. You may need a procedure called a tracheostomy to help you breathe if you have swallowing problems, or have conditions that affect coughing or block your airways. You might also need a tracheostomy if you are in critical care and need to be on a breathing machine.
NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Symptoms, tests and care options
Further reading selected by MedlinePlus. Links open the original organizations’ websites.
- Bronchoscopy and Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) · National Library of Medicine
- Tracheal or Bronchial Stent Placement · Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Tracheostomy (For Parents) · Nemours Foundation
- Tracheostomy - series -- Normal anatomy · Medical Encyclopedia
- X-Ray Exam: Neck (For Parents) · Nemours Foundation
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For a life-threatening emergency, call 911 in the U.S. or your local emergency number.
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