What is effacement of vallecula?

What is effacement of vallecula?

At night, when a person is asleep, the vallecula traps the saliva so that the swallowing reflex is not constantly triggered. https://www.statpearls.com/ArticleLibrary/viewarticle/21235. In medical terms, “effacement” is the thinning or obliteration of tissue or narrowing of an internal anatomical space.

What is the vallecula in the throat?

The valleculae are essentially potential spaces, seen as depressions anterior to the epiglottis, forming the floor of the oropharynx and serve to collect the saliva. The median glossoepiglottic fold separates the two, and laterally, the valleculae are bound by the lateral glossoepiglottic folds.

Is a Vallecular cyst cancer?

Vallecular cysts are usually benign in pathology, and expose no immediate danger from a cancer prospective. However, with the passage of time, an increase in the size of the cyst might give the patient more symptoms. The treatment for vallecular cyst is surgical.

What’s the vallecula?

Vallecula is a term that means depression in something. The epiglottic vallecula consists of a small mucosa-lined depression (vallecula) located at the base of the tongue just between the folds of the throat on either side of the median glossoepiglottic fold.

What purpose does the vallecula serve?

The epiglottic vallecula is a depression just behind the root of the tongue between the medial and lateral glosso-epiglottic folds in the throat. These depressions serve as “spit traps”; saliva is temporarily held in the valleculae to prevent initiation of the swallowing reflex.

How do you get food out of vallecula?

The epiglottis flips backward or retroflexes over the opening to the larynx, like a lid covering the larynx and trachea during the swallow. While this helps to protect the airway from food material entering, it also allows for the tongue base to now clear the food out of the vallecula.

What is the purpose of the vallecula?

What is the purpose of vallecula?

The valleculae can collect saliva to prevent initiation of the swallowing reflex. The vallecula is an important reference landmark used during intubation of the trachea.

How is a Vallecular cyst removed?

Vallecular cysts need to be decompressed surgically. Surgery is performed endoscopically. Once the airway is secured with an endotracheal tube, the cyst is either marsupialized (widely opened) or removed using either microlaryngeal instruments or a laser.

What does vallecula mean in medical terms?

depression
Definition of vallecula : an anatomical groove, channel, or depression especially : one between the base of the tongue and the epiglottis.

Is the vallecula part of the oropharynx?

The epiglottic valleculae are paired depressions in the oropharynx located anterior to the epiglottis and posterior to the base of tongue. They are located between the lateral glossoepiglottic folds and the median glossoepiglottic fold.

Why does it feel like a pill stuck in my throat?

The main reason why you may have a pill stuck in your throat may be because of lack of moisture on the pill. Pills, especially coated or encapsulated ones, are not easy to swallow without fluid. People who have a disorder of the sphincter muscle on top of the esophagus may have difficulty swallowing medications.

What does vallecula mean in anatomy?

Vallecula is a term that means depression in something. The epiglottic vallecula consists of a small mucosa lined depression (vallecula) located at the base of the tongue just between the folds of the throat on either side of the median glossoepiglottic fold.

What is the epiglottic vallecula?

The epiglottic vallecula consists of a small mucosa lined depression (vallecula) located at the base of the tongue just between the folds of the throat on either side of the median glossoepiglottic fold. It is usually not seen by the naked eye as it is far back and deep at the root of the tongue.

What is sulcal effacement of the left hemisphere?

Sulcal effacement A space occupying lesion – below the level of this CT slice – is causing mass effect with effacement of the sulci over the whole left cerebral hemisphere Compare with the contralateral side which shows normal sulci

What is the effacement of the sulci and ventricles?

Effacement of the sulci adjacent to the lesion is followed by partial or complete effacement of the adjacent ventricles. Effacement of the sulci and ventricles may extend across the whole hemisphere. This is followed by displacement of midline structures, and then effacement of the contralateral ventricles and sulci.