Anatomy of Respiratory Tract

Question 0

What is included in the lower respiratory tract?

Answer 0

Trachea and below

Question 1

What is included in the upper respiratory tract?

Answer 1

The respiratory system lying outside the thorax

Includes nasal cavity, pharynx and larynx

Question 2

Functions of the nasal cavity?

Answer 2

Warms and humidifies air
Traps particulate matter and pathogens
Smell
Drains and clears paranasal sinuses and lacrimal ducts

Question 3

Name the three regions of the nasal cavity and where are they?

Answer 3

Vestibule - area surrounding external opening to nasal cavity
Olfactory region - located at apex of nasal cavity
Respiratory region - further back?

Question 4

What are the olfactory and respiratory regions lined with?

Answer 4

Olfactory - olfactory cells and olfactory receptors

Respiratory region - ciliated pseudostratified epithelium and mucus-secreting goblet cells

Question 5

Function of conchae?

Answer 5

Create pathways for air to flow
Increase SA of nasal cavity
Make airflow turbulent and slower

Question 6

What is the pharynx?

Answer 6

A muscular tube connecting the nasal cavities to larynx and oesophagus

Question 7

Name the three parts of the pharynx and their epithelium

Answer 7

Nasopharynx - pseudostratified columnar
Oropharynx - stratified squamous
Laryngopharynx - stratified squamous

Question 8

What connects the nasopharynx and the middle ear cavity? What does it allow?

Answer 8

Eustachian tube

Allows pressure in the middle ear cavity to be equalised to atmospheric pressure

Question 9

What is contained in the non-olfactory region of the pharynx?

Answer 9

Mucous glands venous sinuses in the lamina propria.

Question 10

What happens in the non-olfactory region?

Answer 10

Venous plexuses swell every 20-30 mins to alternate airflow - prevents one side from over-drying
Arterial flow warms air

Question 11

What is in the olfactory region?

Answer 11

Olfactory cells and Bowman’s glands.

No goblet cells and therefore no mucus

Question 12

What are Bowman’s glands?

Answer 12

Serous glands which flush odourants from epithelial surfaces

Question 13

What two structures is the larynx between?

Answer 13

Links the pharynx and trachea

Question 14

What is the cartilaginous skeleton of the larynx made up of?

Answer 14

Epiglottis
Thyroid cartilage
Cricoid cartilage
Paired arytenoid cartilage

Question 15

What is the cartilage skeleton of the larynx linked together by?

Answer 15

Ligaments and muscle

Question 16

What is the glottis?

Answer 16

The vocal cords together with the aperture between them

Question 17

When are the cords abducted?

Answer 17

Respiration

Question 18

When are the cords partially abducted?

Answer 18

During speech (phonation)

Question 19

When are the cords adducted?

Answer 19

Swallowing to prevent inhalation of food
Initial part of cough reflex - involuntary
During straining - voluntary

Question 20

What causes the movement of the vocal cords?

Answer 20

The laryngeal muscles

Question 21

What do the extrinsic and intrinsic laryngeal muscles move?

Answer 21

Extrinsic - entire larynx

Intrinsic - actual vocal cords

Question 22

Which nerve supplies the laryngeal muscles?

Answer 22

The recurrent laryngeal nerve

Question 23

Clinical relevance of the recurrent laryngeal nerves?

Answer 23

Left nerve has a long course, part of which is inside the thoracic cavity.
If there is intrathoracic disease, can compress the nerve and cause a hoarse voice - get paralysis of the left vocal cord.

Question 24

What mechanisms are there to prevent aspiration of food/liquid?

Answer 24

Abduction of the vocal cords | Epiglottis which folds down to cover laryngeal inlet

Question 25

Name the four paranasal sinuses

Answer 25

Frontal Ethmoidal cells Sphenoidal cells Maxillary

Question 26

Which sinuses don't develop until 2 years of age?

Answer 26

Ethmoidal cells

Question 27

What epithelium are the sinuses lined by?

Answer 27

Pseudostratified columnar ciliated

Question 28

What is the name of the point where the trachea divides? What vertebral level is this at?

Answer 28

Carina | T4/5

Question 29

What bridges the gap in the C shaped cartilage of the trachea?

Answer 29

Posterior tracheal is muscle

Question 30

Differences between right and left bronchial trees?

Answer 30

Right is shorter, wider and more vertical | Left is more horizontal

Question 31

If an object was to be aspirated, which bronchus would it most likely go down?

Answer 31

The right

Question 32

How many lobar bronchi are there?

Answer 32

3 on right (upper, middle and lower) | 2 on left (upper and lower)

Question 33

What does a segmental bronchus supply?

Answer 33

A broncho-pulmonary segment (pyramid shape) | Also supplied by a pulmonary artery and vein

Question 34

Clinical importance of segments?

Answer 34

A segment can be removed surgically with little damage to others

Question 35

What are the lobes of the lungs called?

Answer 35

Right - upper/superior, middle and lower/inferior | Left - upper and lower

Question 36

What is the lingula?

Answer 36

An area of the left upper lobe which corresponds to the right middle lobe

Question 37

What are the names of the surfaces of the lungs?

Answer 37

There are three - mediastinal - diaphragmatic - costal

Question 38

Clinal significance of the apex of the lung extending into the neck?

Answer 38

Apical lung tumours can involve structures in the root of the neck eg brachial plexus Subclavian vein cannulation can cause a pneumothorax

Question 39

What is the hilum?

Answer 39

Where the pulmonary vessels, nerves and lymphatics enter and exit the lung

Question 40

What do the lymphatics of the lung drain into?

Answer 40

Hilar lymph nodes

Question 41

What are the two blood supplies to the lungs and where do they transport to and from?

Answer 41

Bronchial arteries - from aorta to supply the bronchial tree and bronchioles with oxygenated blood Pulmonary arteries - deoxygenated blood from right heart to alveoli. Also supply the alveoli

Question 42

What are the compartments of the mediastinum?

Answer 42

Superior Middle Posterior Anterior

Question 43

Ww here is the superior mediastinum situated?

Answer 43

Between the sternal angle and the thoracic aperture

Question 44

Contents of the anterior mediastinum

Answer 44

``` Loose connective tissue Fat Lymphatic vessels Lymph nodes Branches of internal thoracic vessels ```