Airway Management Flashcards
The upper airway consists of the _____.
pharynx, nose, mouth, larynx, trachea, and mainstem bronchi
Functions of the upper airway
warms and humidifies air, filters particulates and prevents aspiration
The nose leads to ____.
the nasopharynx
The mouth leads to ____.
the oropharynx
The epiglottis prevents _____.
aspiration by covering the glottis during swallowing
The larynx is composed of _____.
nine total cartilages
3 unpaired
3 paired
What are the 3 unpaired cartilages of the larynx?
- Thyroid
- Cricoid
- Epiglottis
What are the 3 paired cartilages of the larynx?
- Arytenoids
- Corniculates
- Cuneiforms
The thyroid cartilage shields the _____.
conus elasticus, which forms the vocal cords.
The trigeminal nerve provides ____.
general sensation to the anterior two-thirds of the tongue
The glossopharyngeal nerve is AKA ____ and provides ____.
cranial nerve IX and provides general sensation to the posterior one-third of the tongue, the roof of the pharynx, the tonsils and the undersurface of the soft palate.
The vagus nerve is AKA __ and provides ___.
cranial nerve X and provides sensation to the airway below the epiglottis.
What are the branches of the vagus nerve?
1) The superior laryngeal
2) The recurrent laryngeal nerve
The superior laryngeal is a branch of the _____ divides into ____.
branch of the vagus nerve
an external (motor) nerve and an internal (sensory) branch.
*The internal branch provides sensory supply to the larynx between the epiglottis and the vocal cords.
The recurrent laryngeal nerve innervates ____.
the larynx below the vocal cords and the trachea.
The muscles of the larynx are innervated by the ___.
recurrent laryngeal nerve, with the exception of the cricothyroid muscle, which is innervated by the external (motor) superior laryngeal nerve
Muscles that tense and relax the vocal cords
CricoThyroid: “Cords Tense”
ThyroaRytenoid: “They Relax”
Muscles that abduct and adduct the vocal cords
Posterior CricoArytenoid: “Please Come Apart”
Lateral CricoArytenoid: “Let’s Close Airway”
Damage to the External Branch of the Superior Laryngeal Nerve
Damage to the external laryngeal nerve may paralyze the cricothyroid muscle.
This impacts the vocal cords’ ability to tense and produces a raspy voice.
Unilateral Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Damage
This injury is characterized by hoarseness and a paralyzed cord that assumes an intermediate position (midway between abduction and adduction).
This is the most common injury after subtotal thyroidectomy.
Bilateral Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Damage
This injury results in paralyzed cords and aphonia.
Each paralyzed cord assumes an intermediate position (midway between abduction and adduction).
The cords can flop together causing airway obstruction during inspiration which requires immediate intubation.
The trachea begins ____.
beneath the cricoid cartilage and extends to the carina, the point at which the right and left mainstem bronchi divide.
How many cm above the carina should an ETT be placed?
5-7 cm
The ETT is more likely to advance in the ___.
right bronchus than the left bronchus

