The trachea is an air-conducting respiratory organ that is a cartilaginous tube. The trachea is located below the larynx and branches into the bronchi. The most common diseases of the trachea are tracheitis and tracheal pathologies (agenesis, stenosis, and fistula).
Tracheitis
Tracheitis is a disease of the tracheal mucosa that occurs due to a viral infection. It develops alongside other viral diseases (laryngitis, rhinitis). In tracheitis, the patient experiences a painful dry cough in the throat and sternum area, which occurs during deep inhalation or while laughing. The sputum coughed up can be viscous or muco-purulent. To diagnose tracheitis in Israel, it is sufficient for the doctor to listen and examine the trachea with a laryngoscope. Treatment is comprehensive – pharmacological (antibiotics and expectorants) combined with physiotherapy (inhalations, warming treatments).
Agenesis
Agenesis is a congenital defect in which the trachea has a closed end that does not branch into the bronchi. In this case, the bronchi in the upper sector communicate with the esophagus. A child born with agenesis has virtually no chance of survival.
Stenosis
Tracheal stenosis can be primary or secondary. Primary stenosis is a congenital pathology in which the lumen of the trachea is significantly narrowed. Secondary stenosis can develop from external pressure on the trachea from an inflamed thymus gland or congenital cystic formation, and from internal deformation of the cartilage tissue, forming barriers in the form of partitions. The main sign of stenosis is noisy wheezing or hissing breathing through the nose. Stenosis can be determined using X-ray, CT, and tracheoscopy. Surgical methods are successfully used in the treatment of stenosis in Israel.
Fistula
Tracheal fistulas are rare. They are classified into complete fistulas, which open into the trachea or the skin of the neck, and incomplete fistulas, which have a blind end. Symptoms of a fistula vary depending on its type, exit, and the presence of an abscess. The disease can be identified through fistulography, endoscopy, and tracheography. Complete fistulas in Israel are treated by complete excision and reconstruction of the exit. Incomplete fistulas often do not require treatment at all.
In addition to the diseases listed, cases of tracheal injuries and the presence of foreign objects in the trachea are also common in medical practice.