respiratory tract Flashcards
what is the purpose of the respiratory tract?
process of respiration
- conducts air
- protects against pathogens via mucous
what are the two components of the respiratory tract?
upper and lower
what are the parts of the upper respiratory tract?
- nose
- paranasal sinuses
- mouth
- tonsils
- throat/pharynx
- larynx
describe the inner nose
- nasal cavity
- inner nose is continuous with external nose and pharynx
- ducts for paranasal sinuses and the nasolacrimal duct open in internal nose
- nasal septum- cartilage and bones
describe the external nose
- External portion - skin with hair (and keratin)
Respiratory segment - Ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium
Olfactory segment (epithelium) - Ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium + olfactory receptors
what is the function of the nose?
- warms and filters the air via conchae
- sense of smell
- paranasal sinuses responsible for vocal resonance and modificatior of speech
what are the paranasal sinuses?
air filled spaces within the bones of the skull
- frontal
- sphenoid
- ethmoidal
- maxillary
what is oro-antral fistula?
- an opening is created between a paranasal sinus and the mouth (most commonly occurs from a molar extraction)
- abnormal communication exists between 2 epithelium lined organs that do not normally connect
what are the parts of the lower respiratory tract?
- Larynx
- Trachea
- Right bronchus and left bronchus (bronchi)
- Lungs
- Blood - air barrier
what is the larynx?
- voicebox
- C3-6
- acts as a sphincter
- sound generated here
what is the only bone in the body not attached to another bone?
hyoid bone
(attaches to thyroid cartilage)
how many cartilages make up the larynx and what are they?
9
- arytenoid x2
- corniculate x2
- cuneiform x2
- epiglottis x1
what is the only cartilage to circle the trachea completely?
cricoid
what type of cartilage is the epiglottis?
elastic
what is a cricothyroidtomy?
- an emergency only procedure where there may be major facial trauma, upper airway obstruction or swelling (oedema) in the face or upper neck resulting in an inability to breathe
- involves an incision being made in the skin, and then into the cricothyroid membrane and placing tubing into the space to maintain a patent airway.
why is the trachea’s cartilage C shaped?
as the oesophagus lies behind it
what is the respiratory epithelium?
Ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium with goblet cells.
what covers the back section of the trachae?
smooth muscle called trachealis
what is a tracheostomy?
- long term mechanical ventilation
- emergency airway access
which bronchus is most likely to get blocked by foreign objects and why?
Right bronchus – vertical, greater diameter and shorter than left main bronchus.
what do both the right and left bronchus divide into?
Bronchi divide superior and inferior lobe bronchus in both left and right lungs and in the right lung there is also the middle lobe bronchus
what is pulmonary surfactant?
lines the alveoli to lower surface tension, thereby preventing atelectasis (lungs collapsing) during breathing
why does the blood- air barrier exist?
It exists to prevent air bubbles from forming in the blood, and from blood entering the alveoli.
what forms the blood air barrier?
It is formed by the type I pneumocytes of the alveolar wall, the endothelial cells of the capillaries and the basement membrane between the two cells.
what are the 4 pairs of tonsils?
Pharyngeal
Palatine
Tubule
Lingual
which cranial nerve has an epithelium which can completely regenerate itself?
olfactory
