A leaf-shaped cartilaginous flap at the back of the tongue that covers the airway during swallowing.
Structure
The epiglottis is built around a single elastic cartilage covered with mucosa. Its broad upper end faces the tongue, and its stalk attaches to the thyroid cartilage below.
Function
At rest the epiglottis stands upright, leaving the airway open. As the larynx rises during swallowing, the structure tilts down to seal the airway entrance.
Clinical note
In bacterial epiglottitis the structure becomes severely swollen and can block the airway, an emergency that classically presented in young children before routine Hib vaccination.
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