Epiglottis

Is a leaf-shaped flap in the throat that prevents food from entering the windpipe and the lungs. It stands open during breathing, allowing air into the larynx. During swallowing, it closes to prevent aspiration of food into the lungs, forcing the swallowed liquids or food to go along the esophagus toward the stomach instead. It is thus the valve that diverts passage to either the trachea or the esophagus.

Also see

• Epiglottis (WikiMD)
• Epiglottis (Wikipedia)

This is a short summary article. For quality control, we do not encourage or allow strangers to edit the content.