A pear-shaped sheet of elastic fibrocartilage, broad above (where it lies immediately behind the tongue) and narrow below (where it attaches to the back of the thyroid cartilage), and covered on both surfaces by mucous membrane. The back surface contains taste buds and mucous glands. It moves on swallowing, and partly covers the opening into the larynx. In some mammals it extends above the soft palate into the nasopharynx, making this directly continuous with the larynx, and enabling respiration to occur while swallowing.
It is normally pointed upward, but when swallowing, solids or liquids stimulate sensors which fold down the epiglottis, and prevent food that should go into the esophagus and stomach from passing into the trachea (windpipe).Infection of the Epiglottis
In children, the epiglottis will occasionally become infected with Haemophilus influenzae or Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Although easily treated, this condition is a medical emergency because without treatment the epiglottis may swell and block the trachea, causing massive inflammation.
Epiglottis Prolapse and Sleep Apnea
Epiglottis prolapse is caused when the epiglottis folds down to close off the airway during normal breathing. A floppy epiglottis or abnormally shaped epiglottis can occur in infants, children and adults, and result in breathing disturbances during the day or during sleep. A Study in 1998 showed epiglottis prolapse as the cause of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in more than 10% of cases.
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