Airway Exam Flashcards
What are the 5 main points you need to cover in an airway exam?
Overall General Survey
Head
Nose
Mouth
Neck
During your general survey, what do you assess? (6)
Overall level of health
Level of consciousness
Signs of distress
Eye contact
Voice quality
Presence of cyanosis
State of Health
What do you assess? (3)
Seems normal, healthy, and well-nourished
Level of Consciousness
How do you assess?
Ask, “Do you know where you are right now?”
Signs of Distress
What do you assess? (4)
Anxiety
Facial Expression
Eye Contact
Voice quality
In what main points within A/W exam do you palpate? (4)
Head (sinuses)
Nose (nare patency)
Mouth (TMJ crepitus)
Neck (trachea, bones, cartilages)
Part 2: Head Inspection
What do you assess? (3)
Head shape/size for deformity
Frontal/profile view for mandibular size
Sinus palpation (frontal/maxillary) for tenderness
Part 2: Nose Inspection
What do you assess? (4)
Nares profile for symmetry/deformities/size/location
Vestibule
Anterior septum
Palpate patency of nares (Ask pt to obstruct one nostril)
Do you use a penlight during a mouth inspection?
Yes
Part 3: Mouth Inspection
What do you assess? (7)
Love for My Dog To Play Smart Too.
Lips/Gums- signs of injury/disease (look at floor of mouth)
Mouth-opening in cm
Dentition- size, overall health, false, missing, chipped
Tongue- size/appearance, midline with protrusion
Palate- hard, soft, uvula, pharyngeal arches, tonsils
Smile- overjet, overbite, prog/retrognathism
TMJ- movement/mobility first then palpate
Part 4: Neck Inspection
What do you assess? (4)
Chris Rock’s The Test Too.
C spine alignment- symmetry (look at posterior neck)
ROM- flexion, extension, right, left, rotation
Thyroid- position/shape, movement (while swallowing)
Thyromental distance (cm)
Trachea/larynx position, then palpate
What do you palpate when assessing the trachea/larynx? (4)
Hyoid bone- greater cornu
Thyroid notch/cartilage
Cricothyroid membrane
Cricoid cartilage
