Respiratory Tract Flashcards
What are the 2 components that make up the respiratory tract?
Upper respiratory tract
Lower respiratory tract
What is the purpose of the respiratory tract?
The process of respiration
Which structures make up the upper respiratory tract?
- Mouth
- Paranasal sinuses
- Mouth (incl. tonsils)
- Throat/pharynx
- Larynx
What type of tissue lines the inner portion of the nose?
Mucous membrane
What is the protuberance of the nose?
Nostrils
What type of cartilage is present in the nose?
Hyaline cartilage
Where is the nasal cavity located in relation to the nose?
Superior and posterior to the nose
What are the superior and inferior boundaries of the nasal cavity?
Superior = anterior cranial fossa Inferior = mouth
The nasal cavity is continuous with which structures?
External nose (nares) and pharynx
Which ducts open into the nasal cavity?
Ducts from paranasal sinuses and the nasolacrimal duct
What is the nasal septum composed of?
Cartilage and bone
What type of epithelium lines the respiratory segment of the nose?
Ciliated pseudo-stratified columnar epithelium
What type of epithelium lines the olfactory segment of the nose?
Ciliated pseudo-stratified columnar epithelium with olfactory receptors
What is the function fo the conchae/turbinates?
Warms and filters air
What do olfactory receptors in the nose enable?
Small
Which structure is responsible for vocal resonance and modification of speech?
Paranasal sinuses
What are paranasal sinuses?
Air filled structures within the bones of the skull and face
What is the purpose of the paranasal sinuses?
To make the head lighter
What is the inferior boundary of the maxillary sinuses?
Maxillary molars
What is a fistula?
Abnormal communication exists between 2 epithelium lined organs/structures that do not usually connect
What is an oro-antral fistula?
An opening created between the paranasal sinus and the mouth. The 2nd upper molar is directly below the paranasal sinus. Floor of the paranasal sinus can be removed by accident when extracting this tooth.
What is the pharynx?
Muscular tube from the base of the skull to the oesophagus (~C6)
What is the purpose of the pharynx?
Conducts air
Muscles direct food to oesophagus
What are the 3 parts of the pharynx?
Nasopharyx
Oropharynx
Laryngopharynx
Which structures make up the lower respiratory tract?
- Larynx
- Trachea
- Right bronchus and left bronchus
- Lungs
- Blood air barrier
What is the purpose of the larynx?
- Voicebox - sound is generated here
- C3 - C6
- Acts as a sphincter: makes sure food and fluid goes one way, and air goes another way
How many cartilages are present in the larynx?
9
Which cartilage in the larynx is the biggest of all 9 cartilages?
Thyroid cartilage
Which is the only type of cartilage that forms a complete circle all the way around?
Cricoid cartilage
Apart from the cricoid cartilage, why are the other 8 types of cartilage present in the larynx incomplete rings?
Due to the presence of the oesophagus posteriorly
What are the 9 cartilages present in the larynx?
- Thyroid cartilage
- Cricoid cartilage
- Arytenoid cartilage (x2)
- Corniculate cartilage (x2)
- Cuneiform cartilage (x2)
- Epiglottis
What type of cartilage is the epiglottis made of?
Elastic cartilage
It is bendy
When might a cricothyroidotomy be performed?
- If a foreign object is stuck in the upper airway
- Facial trauma
- Oedema - swelling of glottis
What is a cricothyroidotomy?
An incision is made in the cricothyroid ligament (between the cricoid and thyroid cartilages)
Trying to establish an airway
How long is the trachea?
4-5 inches
Where does the trachea begin?
C6
What is the trachea composed of?
15-20 incomplete cartilaginous rings
What is the purpose of the cartilaginous rings that make up the trachea?
Maintains patent airway
What is the trachea also known as?
The windpipe
What is the posterior part of the trachea made up of?
Smooth muscle called trachealis - under involuntary control
Not cartilage
What is the wall of the trachea composed of?
Fibrous tissue
What is a tracheostomy?
- Making an incision in the trachea and inserting tube
- For acutely ill patients
- Long term mechanical ventilation
- Where failed endotracheal intubation has failed
Which bronchus is shorter?
Right bronchus
How does the right bronchus differ from the left bronchus?
Right bronchus is vertical, has a greater diameter and is shorter than the left bronchus
Which bronchus is a foreign object more likely to get stuck in?
The right bronchus
What do Type II pneumocytes do?
Produce surfactant from ~24-25 weeks in utero
At what stage in utero does surfactant become really effective?
~ 35 weeks
