2 - paediatric airway obstruction Flashcards
1
Q
what are the differences in anatomy of kids larynx?
A
- large head
- small nares (nostril opening)
- neonates use ONLY nose to breathe
- large tongue in comparison to oral cavity
- small & soft larynx
- weak neck muscles
- cricoid = narrowest part of airway
2
Q
what is commonest cause of airway obstruction in kids?
A
foreign body
3
Q
what is stridor and stertor?
A
stridor = high pitched inspiratory
strertor = low pitched snoring sound from nasopharynx
4
Q
what are some causes of airway obstruction in kids?
A
- large tonsils = causes sleep apnoea
- acute epiglottitis (from haemophilus influenza)
- recurrent resp papillomatosis
- subglottic stenosis
5
Q
what is management of airway obstruction?
A
- ABCDE
- oxygen
- heliox (mix of helium & oxygen to make less dense than air so easier to pass through airways)
- steroid
- adrenaline
- tracheostomy (last line)
6
Q
what investigation of airway obstruction can be done?
A
flexible fibre-optic endoscopy
