Epiglottis
RespiratoryOrgansNeck
- What it is
- A leaf-shaped plate of elastic cartilage behind the root of the tongue, attached by its stalk to the inside of the thyroid angle and free above.
- Function
- During swallowing it tips back over the laryngeal inlet as the larynx rises, helping steer food into the oesophagus.
- Size
- About 3 cm long and 2.5 cm wide.
- Clinical note
- Acute epiglottitis can swell it within hours and block the airway, especially in children; do not examine the throat with a spatula if it is suspected.