"You said the obstruction is not in the larynx?" Zhang Huayao asked Xie Wanying urgently as he examined with effort.
Typically, obstructions do not immediately fall into the trachea, which is why airway foreign bodies are common, but it is not very common for them to fall into the trachea and cause suffocation. The physiological reactions and structure of the human body effectively prevent accidental swallowing of foreign objects in everyday life.
The most common physiological response is the gag reflex, where touching the back of the throat with a tongue depressor causes nausea and vomiting.
Another critical anatomical structure to prevent foreign objects from going into the trachea is the epiglottis. This was discussed during the previous bronchoscope session. Now, if there is a foreign body, due to the physiological defense mechanism of the epiglottis, most foreign bodies are repelled and caught around the epiglottis area.
