Airway obstruction Flashcards
What separates the upper airway from the lower airway?
Vocal cords
Where should you do a cricothyroidotomy?
Cricothyroid ligament
What muscles adducts the vocal cords?
Lateral cricoarytenoid and arytenoid muscles
What muscle abducts the vocal cords?
Posterior cricoarytenoid
What are special features of babies airways?
Large head Small nares Neonates are obligate nasal breathers Relatively large tongue Small soft larynx Higher position (C1) Weak neck muscles; floppy head Narrow subglottis
What is the air flow resistance theory?
The small the airway, the higher the resistance to air
What can cause an airway obstruction?
Inflammatory/ infective causes/ allergy Foreign bodies Physical compression Trauma/ iatrogenic Neurlogical Neoplastic Burn Congenital airway pathology
What is stridor?
High pitched harsh noise due to turbulent airflow resulting from airway obstructions
What is stertor?
Low pitches sonorous sound arising from the nasopharyngeal airway
What are signs and symptoms of an airway obstruction?
SOB on exertion SOB at rest stertor/ stridor Coughing Choking Inability to complete a sentence Sternal/ subcostal recession Tracheal tug Dusky skin colour Dysphagia Dysphonia Pyrexia Cyanosis
What can cause stertor?
Big adenoids
Big lymph nodes
What commonly causes acute epiglottis in children and why is it rare now?
Haemophilus influenzae b - rare due to vaccine against Hib
How will acute epiglottitis present?
Cherry red epiglottis
Low O2 sats
Drooling
Steroids and antibiotics used
What causes recurrent respiratory papillomatosis?
HPV 6 and 11
How can subglottic stenosis occur?
Congenital
After prolonged periods of intubation eg ICU admission
