I-trachea (kusuka ku-Latin trachia engezansi), iyisitho sohlelo lokuphefumula, esixhumanisa i-larynx ne-bronchi.

Isikhundla. Kutholakala engxenyeni engezansi yentamo nasengxenyeni engenhla yesifuba (1), i-trachea ngumsele welula umphimbo. I-trachea iphelela ezingeni le-tracheal bifurcation enikeza ama-bronchi amabili amakhulu, i-bronchi enkulu engakwesokudla nangakwesobunxele (2).

Ukwakheka. Ngobude obungu-10 kuye ku-12 cm, i-trachea inesakhiwo se-fibro-cartilaginous nokunwebeka. Kwenziwe (2):

• ezindongeni zangaphakathi nezangemuva: kusuka emasongweni ayi-16 kuye kwangama-20 e-cartilaginous, amise okwamahhashi, nezicubu ezinemicu etholakala ezikhaleni eziphakathi kwamasongo;
• odongeni lwangemuva: kwesicubu sokuxhuma-semisipha esixhuma emaphethelweni amasongo.

Umunyu. Ingaphakathi le-trachea ligcwele ulwelwesi lwamafinyila olwenziwe ngamaseli we-1-secreting cell kanye ne-cilia cilia.

Umsebenzi wokuphefumula. I-trachea ivumela ukudlula komoya ku-bronchi.

Ukuvikelwa kwamaphaphu. Ulwelwesi lwama-mucosa olufaka i-trachea lusiza ukuvikela amaphaphu ngenxa yezimo ezahlukahlukene (1):

• uketshezi lwamafinyila kwenza kube nokwenzeka ukuhlanganisa ukungcola okukhona emoyeni ophefumulelwe
• ukuxoshwa kothuli ngaphandle ngenxa yamaseli we-cilia

Umphimbo obuhlungu. Esikhathini esiningi imvelaphi yamagciwane, lesi sibonakaliso singabangelwa ukulimala kwetreachea, ikakhulukazi esimweni se-tracheitis.

Isifo sokuqaqamba kwamalunga. Le pathology enobungozi ihambelana nokuvuvukala kogwele. Imvamisa imvelaphi yegciwane kodwa futhi ingavela kwimvelaphi yamagciwane noma yokungezwani komzimba. Lesi simo singavela ngesimo esibucayi noma siqhubeke ngendlela engapheli. Izimpawu ze-tracheitis ukukhwehlela futhi kwesinye isikhathi kunzima ukuphefumula.

Umdlavuza we-trachea. Kuyindlela engajwayelekile yomdlavuza womphimbo (3).

Ukwelashwa. Ngokuya nge-pathology etholakele, imishanguzo ethile ingahle inikezwe njengezifo zokukhwehlela, imishanguzo elwa nokuvuvukala noma ama-antibiotics.

I-Chemotherapy, i-radiotherapy, ukwelashwa okuqondisiwe. Ngokuya ngohlobo lomdlavuza kanye nokuqhubekela phambili kwawo, ukwelashwa nge-chemotherapy, radiotherapy noma ukwelashwa okuhlosiwe kungasetshenziswa.

Ukwelapha okuhlinzwa. Ngokuya ngesigaba sesimila, kungahlinzwa. Uma kunesidingo, kungafakwa i-tubular prosthesis, ikakhulukazi i-stent, ukuze kugcinwe i-trachea ivulekile (3).

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

Ukuhlolwa komzimba. Ukubonakala kobuhlungu ku-trachea kuqala kudinga ukuhlolwa komtholampilo ukuhlola izimpawu nokuthola izimbangela zobuhlungu.

Ukuhlolwa kwe-imaging yezokwelapha. I-ultrasound, i-CT scan, noma i-MRI ingenziwa ukuqinisekisa ukuxilongwa.

Ngo-2011, iphephabhuku lezokwelapha i-The Lancet lanyathelisa udaba olwembula impumelelo yokufakelwa kothile okwenziwe ngoqhoqhoqho. Lokhu kufezwe yithimba laseSweden elasungula uqedelo olwenziwe ngamehlo olwenzelwe isiguli esinomdlavuza wokuphefumula osezingeni eliphakeme. Le trachea yokufakelwa inesakhiwo se-manometric esihlwanyelwe ngamaseli ama-stem (4).