Airway Assessment

Question 0

What are the two attachments for the vocal cords?

Answer 0

thyroid cartilage and arytenoids

Question 1

What types of patients require an airway assessment?

Answer 1

any patient receiving any type of anesthesia

Question 2

What are the indications for intubation?

Answer 2

to provide PEEP
maintain airway patency
deliver predictable FiO2
maintain adequate oxygenation

Question 3

What are the indications for a mask case?

Answer 3

no difficult airway
surgeon doesn’t need access to head/neck
no bleeding/secretion issues in neck/throat
short case
no table position changes
any tongue obstruction should be easily removed with head tilt/chin lift

Question 4

What are examples of surgical history that may predict a difficult airway?

Answer 4

tracheostomy or scar from previous one
neck dissection
UVPP
cervical spine procedures

Question 5

What are some examples of co-morbidities that can predict a difficult airway

Answer 5

NM disease
cancer
lesions on the larynx
obesity
GERD
diabetes
OSA
genetic disorders (turner's, downs, etc.)
rheumatoid arthritis
thyroid disease

Question 6

What are some considerations when inspecting the teeth?

Answer 6

length of incisors?
condition of teeth (missing, diseased, overbite)?
relationship of upper incisors to lower incisors?
dentures or implants?

Question 7

What is a normal mouth opening distance?

Answer 7

2 fingerbreadths or 4 cm

Question 8

What is a normal thyromental distance?

Answer 8

6.5 cm or 3 finger breadths

Question 9

What is a normal hyoidmental distance?

Answer 9

2 finger breadths

Question 10

How is full ROM of the neck described?

Answer 10

should be able to touch chin to their chest

90-165 degrees

Question 11

What is visible in mallampati class 1?

Answer 11

faucile pillars, uvula, soft palate, hard palate

Question 12

What is visible in a mallampati class 2?

Answer 12

uvula, fauces, hard and soft palate

Question 13

what is visible in a mallampati class 3?

Answer 13

base of uvula, soft and hard palate

Question 14

What is visible in a mallampti class 4?

Answer 14

hard palate only

Question 15

What is required in an airway set up?

Answer 15

laryngoscope
tongue depressor
blades (2)
ETT (2)
stylet
ETCO2 detector
syringe 
suction
ambu bag
LMA
oral and nasal airways in several sizes

Question 16

What should you document pre-op?

Answer 16

dental assessment, ROM, mallampati class, TM distance, mouth opening

Question 17

What should you document post extubation

Answer 17

dental assessment (teeth still intact), airway patency, adjunct airways required/used

Question 18

What should you document post intubation?

Answer 18

visualization of the chords, trauma, equipment used, hemodynamic or respiratory changes

Question 19

What are the components of an emergency airway cart?

Answer 19

rigid laryngoscope blades of different size and design
ETT of different sizes
varying types of ETT guides/stylets
supraglottic airways, such as LMA or combitubes
fiberoptic equipment
retrograde intubation equipment
transtracheal jet ventilation equipment 
surgical airway equipment
ETCO2 monitor