What is a patent airway?
An open airway.
What is the function of the respiratory system?
It brings in O2 and eliminates CO2 in the body.
Name the airway structures of the upper airway.
- Nasopharynx
- Pharynx
- Oropharynx
- Mouth
- Epiglottis, and
- Larynx
What are the roles of the turbinates in the upper airway?
- Warms
- Filters
- Humidifies
Fill in the blank:
The sinuses are responsible for ______ contaminants from entering the respiratory tract.
preventing
How many teeth does a typical adult have?
32
What parts is the hyoid bone attached to?
- Mandible
- Tongue
- Epiglottis
- Thyroid cartilage
What is the most important anatomic consideration regarding airway management?
tongue
It often falls back and occludes the posterior pharynx when the mandible is relaxed.
Name the four paranasal sinuses.
- Maxillary
- Frontal
- Ethmoid
- Sphenoid
What is the significance of the larynx?
Where:
- upper airway ends
- lower airway begins
Define:
glottis
Narrowest portion of the adult airway called the “glottic opening”.
What anatomical structure is displaced during a Head-Tilt/Chin-Lift?
Hyoid bone
What is the “pocket” between the base of the tongue and the epiglottis?
vallecula
What are arytenoid cartilages?
Small bumps inferior to the epiglottis.
Important guides for ET intubation.
Define:
laryngospasm
Spasm of the vocal cords that seals off the airway.
Define:
trachea
The main pipe for air entry into the lungs.
Otherwise known as the “windpipe”.
Fill in the blanks:
The trachea divides into the right and left main stem _______, which is level with the ______.
bronchi, carina
Which bronchus is straighter and shorter, making it more prone to ET tube advancement?
right mainstem
What is the location and function of the cilia?
- Hair-like structures in the trachea and main stem bronchi.
- It moves back and forth to sweep material from the airway.
Think of cilia like seaweed in the ocean that sways back and forth with the waves.
Define:
hilum
This is where the bronchi and blood vessels enter to connect to their supporting structures.
Define:
visceral pleura
Thin outer membrane that encapsulates the lungs.
How many lobes do the right and left lungs have?
- right: 3
- left: 2
Define:
parietal pleura
Thin membrane that lines the inside of the thoracic cavity.
List the subdivisions of the lower airway in order.
- Trachea
- Bronchus
- Bronchioles
- Alveolar ducts
- Alveolar sacs
