I-epiglottis (kusuka ku-Latin epiglottis yenkathi ephakathi, evela kwelesiGreki elithi epiglôttis, okusho ukuthi “okusolimini”) yakha isakhiwo se-larynx, isitho sohlelo lokuphefumula, esisemphinjeni phakathi kwepharynx noqhoqhoqho.

Isikhundla. I-epiglottis iyisakhiwo se-larynx. Lesi sakamuva sitholakala ngemuva kwe-pharynx, ezingeni lokwehlukaniswa phakathi kwemigwaqo yomoya (maqondana noqhoqhoqho) kanye nomgudu wokugaya ukudla (obheke ngasesiphakathini). Umphimbo unamathele engxenyeni yawo engenhla ethanjeni le-hyoid. I-larynx iwumgudu owenziwe izinhlaka ezihlukene (1), ezinhlanu zazo eziyinhloko: uqwanga lwegilo, uqwanga lwe-arytenoid, uqwanga lwe-cricoid, noqwanga lwe-epiglottic. Ama-cartilage axhunyaniswe ndawonye yiqoqo lemigqa futhi azungezwe ulwelwesi oluqinisekisa ukuqina komphimbo. Ukunyakaza kwe-larynx kunikwe amandla imisipha eminingana ezohileleka ikakhulukazi ekuhambeni kwe-epiglottis nezintambo zezwi.

Isakhiwo se-epiglottis. I-epiglottis yakhiwe ikakhulukazi uqwanga lwe-epiglottic, lwakha ukukhululeka okumise okwenhliziyo futhi lunikeze ukuguquguquka kwe-epiglottis. Lolu qwanga lumbozwe ngolwelwesi lwamafinyila. I-epiglottis inomphetho wamahhala ongenhla, futhi ilungisiwe ngenxa ye:

• 
  kumsipha we-thyroepiglottic ngaphansi kwawo;
• kumgudu we-hyoepiglottic ebusweni bayo bangaphandle kwethambo le-hyoid (1) (2).

Indima yokugwinya. Ukuze kuvinjwe ukudlula kokudla noma uketshezi kuqhoqhoqho nasemaphashini, i-epiglottis ivala umphimbo bese izintambo zezwi zihlangane (3).

Umsebenzi wokuphefumula. Ama-epiglottis nezintambo zezwi zidlulisa umoya ohogela emgqonyeni nasemaphashini, nomoya ophefumulayo uye ku-pharynx (3).

Umphimbo obuhlungu. Ezimweni eziningi, zinomsuka wegciwane. Endabeni ye-laryngitis noma i-epiglottitis, zingase zihlotshaniswe nokutheleleka kwebhaktheriya.

I-Laryngitis. Ihambisana nokuvuvukala kwe-larynx, okungathinta i-epiglottis. I-acute noma engapheli, ingabonakala njengokukhwehlela kanye ne-dysphonia (izinkinga zendlela). Kuyingozi kakhulu ezinganeni futhi kungase kuhambisane ne-dyspnea (ukuphefumula kanzima) (3).

I-Epiglottitis. Ngokuvamile imvelaphi yebhaktheriya, iwuhlobo olunzima lwe-laryngitis ethinta ngqo i-epiglottis. Kungaholela edema ye-epiglottis futhi kungaholela ekubeni i-asphyxia (4) (5).

Umdlavuza weLaryngeal. Ngokuvamile kuhlotshaniswa nomdlavuza womphimbo futhi kungenzeka kuwo wonke amazinga e-larynx, ikakhulukazi i-epiglottis (6).

Ukwelashwa ngama-antibiotic noma okulwa nokuvuvukala. Imithi elwa namagciwane ingase imiselwe ukutheleleka ngebhaktheriya. Imithi elwa nokuvuvukala ingase futhi ibekwe ukunciphisa ukuvuvukala.

I-Tracheotomy. Ezimweni ezimbi kakhulu, lokhu kungenelela kokuhlinzwa kuqukethe ukuvuleka ezingeni lomphimbo ukuvumela ukudlula komoya nokuvimbela ukuphelelwa umoya.

I-Laryngectomie. Ezimweni ezinzima kakhulu zomdlavuza, ukukhishwa kwe-larynx kungase kwenziwe (7).

Radiotherapy. Amaseli omdlavuza abhujiswa ngokuchayeka kuma-x ray7.

Ukwelashwa ngamakhemikhali. Kunganikezwa imithi yokunqanda ukusabalala komdlavuza.

I-laryngoscopy engaqondile. Ikuvumela ukuthi ubone i-larynx, futhi ikakhulukazi i-epiglottis, usebenzisa isibuko esincane esibekwe ngemuva komphimbo (8).

I-laryngoscopy eqondile. I-larynx icwaningwa kusetshenziswa ishubhu eliqinile neligobekayo elethulwa ngekhala. Lokhu kungenelela kungavumela nokuthi kuthathwe isampula (i-biopsy) uma ukuhlolwa kudinga ukuthi (8).

I-laryngopharyngographie. Lokhu kuhlolwa kwe-x-ray ye-larynx kungenziwa ukuze kuphothulwe ukuxilongwa (8).

I-valve. I-epiglottis ivame ukufaniswa nevalvu, evimbela ukudla ukuthi kungaduki kuqhoqhoqho.

Ithiyori ngemvelaphi yolimi. Isikhundla esiphansi se-larynx kubantu banamuhla uma kuqhathaniswa nezinye izilwane ezincelisayo kwakuyisihloko senkolelo-mbono ngemvelaphi yolimi. Kodwa-ke, ucwaningo lwakamuva luphakamisa ukuthi ikhono lokukhuluma lidala kakhulu (9).