respiratory tract

Question 1

what is the purpose of the respiratory tract?

Answer 1

process of respiration
- conducts air
- protects against pathogens via mucous

Question 2

what are the two components of the respiratory tract?

Answer 2

upper and lower

Question 3

what are the parts of the upper respiratory tract?

Answer 3

• nose
• paranasal sinuses
• mouth
• tonsils
• throat/pharynx
• larynx

Question 4

describe the inner nose

Answer 4

• 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

Question 5

describe the external nose

Answer 5

• External portion - skin with hair (and keratin)​
  Respiratory segment - ​Ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium​
  ​Olfactory segment (epithelium) - Ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium ​+ olfactory receptors ​

Question 6

what is the function of the nose?

Answer 6

• warms and filters the air via conchae
• sense of smell
• paranasal sinuses responsible for vocal resonance and modificatior of speech

Question 7

what are the paranasal sinuses?

Answer 7

air filled spaces within the bones of the skull
- frontal
- sphenoid
- ethmoidal
- maxillary

Question 8

what is oro-antral fistula?

Answer 8

• 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​

Question 9

what are the parts of the lower respiratory tract?

Answer 9

• Larynx​
• Trachea​
• Right bronchus and left bronchus (bronchi)​
  ​- Lungs​
  ​- Blood - air barrier​

Question 10

what is the larynx?

Answer 10

• voicebox
• C3-6
• acts as a sphincter
• sound generated here

Question 11

what is the only bone in the body not attached to another bone?

Answer 11

hyoid bone
(attaches to thyroid cartilage)

Question 12

how many cartilages make up the larynx and what are they?

Answer 12

9
- arytenoid x2
- corniculate x2
- cuneiform x2
- epiglottis x1

Question 13

what is the only cartilage to circle the trachea completely?

Answer 13

cricoid

Question 14

what type of cartilage is the epiglottis?

Answer 14

elastic

Question 15

what is a cricothyroidtomy?

Answer 15

• 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.

Question 16

why is the trachea’s cartilage C shaped?

Answer 16

as the oesophagus lies behind it

Question 17

what is the respiratory epithelium?

Answer 17

Ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium with goblet cells.

Question 18

what covers the back section of the trachae?

Answer 18

smooth muscle called trachealis

Question 19

what is a tracheostomy?

Answer 19

• long term mechanical ventilation
• emergency airway access

Question 20

which bronchus is most likely to get blocked by foreign objects and why?

Answer 20

Right bronchus – vertical, greater diameter and shorter than left main bronchus.

Question 21

what do both the right and left bronchus divide into?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

what is pulmonary surfactant?

Answer 22

lines the alveoli to lower surface tension, thereby preventing atelectasis (lungs collapsing) during breathing

Question 23

why does the blood- air barrier exist?

Answer 23

It exists to prevent air bubbles from forming in the blood, and from blood entering the alveoli.

Question 24

what forms the blood air barrier?

Answer 24

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.

Question 25

what are the 4 pairs of tonsils?

Answer 25

Pharyngeal
Palatine
Tubule
Lingual

Question 26

which cranial nerve has an epithelium which can completely regenerate itself?

Answer 26

olfactory