Anatomy of the Airway

Question 1

Relaxation of the jaw muscles under anaesthesia allows the tongue to fall back against the soft palate T/F

Answer 1

True

Question 2

A Guedel airway is the airway of choice for a patient who requires continued use of an artificial airway postoperatively on the ward T/F

Answer 2

False. A nasopharyngeal airway is better tolerated as it does not stimulate gag reflex.

Question 3

Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is a benign condition that does not pose a risk factor for anaesthesia T/F

Answer 3

False. Severe adenotonsillar hypertrophy may result in airway obstruction after induction of anaesthesia.

Question 4

Nasotracheal intubation is the technique of choice for patients in the ICU T/F

Answer 4

False. Long term nasotracheal intubation may be associated with infection of the paranasal air sinuses.

Question 5

A nasotracheal tube is passed below the middle turbinate T/F

Answer 5

False. The widest part of the nasal airway is beneath the inferior turbinate; a nasotracheal tube is passed below the inferior turbinate.

Question 6

Chin lift is a useful technique to clear the airway, but might be painful to the patient T/F

Answer 6

False. Jaw thrust may be painful to the patient, however, both manoeuvres are useful to clear the airway.

Question 7

The internal laryngeal nerve provides the sensory supply to the larynx below the vocal cords T/F

Answer 7

False. The sensory supply to the larynx below the vocal cords is from the recurrent laryngeal nerve.

Question 8

The afferent limb of the gag reflex is the glossopharyngeal nerve T/F

Answer 8

True

Question 9

Bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy may produce life-threatening airway obstruction T/F

Answer 9

True

Question 10

One of the complications of thyroid surgery includes a hoarse voice T/F

Answer 10

True

Question 11

Damage to the external laryngeal nerve produces life-threatening airway obstruction T/F

Answer 11

False. The external laryngeal nerve provides the motor supply to the cricothyroid muscle only. Damage produces a hoarse voice.

Question 12

Mandibular nerve block provides effective analgesia for tonsillectomy T/F

Answer 12

False. Infiltration analgesia to the tonsillar bed is required for effective analgesia as the tonsils are supplied by branches of three nerves (mandibular, maxillary and glossopharyngeal).

Question 13

The cricothyroid membrane is located below the cricoid cartilage T/F

Answer 13

False. The cricothyroid membrane is located between the upper border of the cricoid cartilage and the lower border of the thyroid cartilage.

Question 14

A cricothyroid puncture is simple to perform and is the method of choice for the routine surgical airway T/F

Answer 14

False. Cricothyroid puncture should only be used in an emergency situation.

Question 15

A cricothyroid puncture may result in damage to the vocal cords and sub-glottic stenosis T/F

Answer 15

True

Question 16

A cricothyroid puncture may be life-saving in the presence of acute glottic oedema T/F

Answer 16

True

Question 17

The cricothyroid membrane is highly vascular T/F

Answer 17

False. The cricothyroid membrane is relatively avascular.