Gross Anatomical Studies on the Trachea and Bronchi of Gaddi Sheep

Abstract

Trachea was a flexible, cartilaginous and membranous tube. The incomplete tracheal rings were dorsally connected by
trachealis muscle on the luminal side. Trachea gave off right apical bronchus at level of 3rd rib before bifurcation into right and left principle bronchi at the level of fifth rib, which ventilated the right and left lung respectively. The trachea of Gaddi sheep was composed of forty five to forty eight cartilaginous rings from larynx to its bifurcation into right and left principal bronchi. The right apical bronchus originated at 37th - 38th ring. Total length of the trachea was 25.23 ± 4.02 cm in Gaddi sheep. The mean outer vertical diameter (OVD) and mean outer transverse diameter (OTD) of the trachea was 27.92 ± 1.95 and 20.74 ± 0.53 mm respectively. The mean inner vertical diameter (IVD) and mean inner transverse diameter (ITD) in Gaddi sheep was 22.79 ± 1.93 mm and 15.53 ± 0.44 mm respectively. The average thickness of tracheal cartilage was 2.56 ± 0.13 mm. Gaddi sheep followed monopodial pattern of bronchial division, where every secondary bronchus arose from each longitudinal principal bronchus.