Apex- Airway Management Flashcards
What does the mallampati exam evaluate?
The size of the oropharyngeal space
- The more space the tongue occupies, the less space there is to work
What airway exam assesses how easy or difficult it will be to align the oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal axes?
Inter-Intercisor gap
(Normal = 2-3 fingerbreaths ~4cms)
*long incisors reduce the gap
Mallampati score > ____ is associated with a more difficult intubation
3-4; but by itself is a poor predictor- got to look at other stuff too
What is visibile with Mallampati
1:
2:
3:
4:
1: Pillars, Uvula, Soft palate, Hard palate
2: Uvula, Soft and Hard palates
3: Soft and Hard palates
4: Hard palate
PUSH!
Identify oropharynx structures

You know the hard and soft palates and uvula
- The empty space is fauces
- the tonsilar pillar you automatically think of is the posterior one
- and the most forward structure = anterior tonsilar pillar
What is this patient’s mandibular protrusion test classification? (enter a number)

3

What does the thyromental distance help estimate the size of?
The submandibular space
AKA: where you will need to displace the tongue in order to get a view of the glottic opening
A Thyromental distance < ___cm or > ___cm correlates with an increased risk of difficult intubation
<6cm
>9cm
The ability to place the pt in the sniffing position is highly dependent on the mobility of what?
The alanto-occipital joint
3 main conditions that can impair atlanto-occipital joint mobility, making it difficult to get the patient into a sniffing position
(5 other ones that may affect it)
- Arthritic disease
- Trauma
- Downs Syndrome
Normal Atlanto-Occipital Joint extension = ____ degrees
DL will be difficult if < ____degrees
normal = 35 degrees
difficult = 23 degrees
-okay so 23 bronchial generation splits and 23 degrees difficult intubation
Normal AO flexion and extension
90-165 degrees
3-3-2 rule includes what
inter-incisor gap >3FB
TMD >3FB
Thyohyoid > 2FB
Only the epiglottis can be visualized during DL. What’s the patient’s cormack and lehane score?
3
Cormack and Lehane score 2A vs 2B
2A = better > can see posterior region of the glottic opening
2B = worse > can only see corniculates and the posterior vocal cords but cant see glottic opening
What can’t you see with a grade 2 view?
Anterior commisure
Can you see any part of the larynx with a Grade 4 view? What can you see?
No - soft palate only
What are the BEST predictors of difficult mask ventilation (select 3)
- Mallampati 3
- Old age
- Edentulous
- Small mouth opening
- High, arched palate
- Presence of a Beard
Beard, old age, edentulous
Mnumonic for predictors of diffuclt mask ventilation
BONES
- Beard
- Obese (BMI > 26)
- No teeth
- Elderly (>55)
- Snoring
5 things you should ask yourself before providing airway management:
- Can I mask ventilate (BONES)
- Can I intubate (LEMON)
- Can I place an SGA (RODS)
- Can I place a surgical airway (SHORT)
- How fast must I secure the airway (2-4-6-8)
Most current recommendations for preop fasting guidelines
2: clear liquids
4: breast milk
6: regular milk, infant formula, solid food
8: fried or fatty foods
How can clear liquids 2 hours before surgery be benificial?
It actually has been shown to reduce gastric volume and increase gastric pH
(decreases risk for mendelson syndrome [gastric pH < 2.5, volume >25ml (0.4ml/kg)]
Risks for difficult SGA placement + mneumonic
Cricoid pressure:
The esophagus is compressed by applying pressure to the cricoid ring agisnt which vertebra?
C6
C5 = adult glottis
C6 = cricoid
C7 = Vertebral prominens







