Airway Flashcards
What are the 5 parts of the upper airway?
- Nose
- Pharynx
- Nasopharynx
- Oropharynx
- Laryngopharynx
What is the nasopharynx?
The part of the pharynx that sits behind the nose.
What is the oropharynx?
The part of the pharynx that sits behind the mouth
What is the laryngopharynx?
The part of the pharynx that sits behind the larynx (voice box)
What is the larynx?
A hollow structure for air to pass through. It is made up of muscles, ligaments and cartilage.
What is the epiglottis?
A leaf shape piece of cartilage that moves upwards during swallowing, and covers the airway passage and opens the oesophagus.
What is the thyroid cartilage?
Forms the Adams apple this continues to grow until mid 40’s and is more prominent in males than in females.
What is the trachea? and how long on approximately?
The tube that extends from the larynx it is approximately 12-15cm in length and consists of C-shape pieces of cartilage. This splits (bifurcates) at the carina and divides into the left and right bronchus.
How many lobes does each lung have and why?
The left lung has two lobes and the right has three, this is due to the space (mediastinum) that the heart sits in.
What are the classes of Mallampati?
Class I : soft palate, fauces, uvula, pillars
Class II : soft palate, fauces, portion of uvula
Class III : soft palate, base of uvula
Class IV : hard palate only
What are the grades of intubation?
Grade I : complete glottis visible
Grade II : anterior glottis not seen
Grade III : epiglottis seen, but not glottis
Grade IV : epiglottis not seen
What is the BURP manoeuvre?
Applying backward, upward, rightward, and posterior pressure on the larynx to improve laryngoscopic view
What is the Sellicks manoeuvre?
The application of pressure to the cricoid cartilage at the neck, thus occluding the oesophagus which passes directly behind it to prevent aspiration.
