Structure of the Airway

Question 1

How can you increase the size of the thorax? What does this do?

Answer 1

Contraction of the diaphragm (causing it to lower) and raising the ribs creates a negative intra-thoracic pressure which sucks air in through conductive passages. (Inhalation/inspiration)

Question 2

How is exhalation/expiration achieved?

Answer 2

Decreasing the size of the thorax which is achieved by muscle relaxation. This doesn’t usually require energy.

Question 3

What are nasal cavities lines by?

Answer 3

A highly vascularised mucosal membrane lined with Respiratory Epithelium (pseudostratified, ciliated, columnar, interspersed with goblet cells)

Question 4

What is the nasal septum?

Answer 4

Midline structure made of cartilage and bone which seperates the left and right nasal cavities.

Question 5

What can occur from a deviated septum?

Answer 5

Clinical issues, for example, sinus drainage may be compromised or a predispose to sinusitis.

Question 6

What are the boundaries for the nasal cavities

Answer 6

Medial is the nasal septum
On the floor are hard and soft palates
On the roof is bone (ethmoid, frontonasal and sphenoid)

Question 7

What do conchae/turbinates do and where are they found?

Answer 7

Found on the lateral walls of the nasal cavity. They provide turbulence, and increase the surface area for air flow and warming of air.

Question 8

What is under/lateral to conchae/turbinates? and what is their function

Answer 8

Meatus. They have adjacent air sinuses which open up into the meati, communicating between the sinus and air cavity.

Question 9

Name the fours nasal sinuses. What is their general function?

Answer 9

Maxillary,
Ethmoidal,
Sphenoidal and
frontal.
They assist in the warming of incoming air.

Question 10

What drains tears to the nasal cavity?

Answer 10

Nasolacrimal

Question 11

Why is the Nasal mucosal membrane a common area for epistaxis (nose bleeds)

Answer 11

It is highly vasularised with vessels that anastamose between branches of the external and internal carotids

Question 12

Where are the nerves for sense of smell and the olfactory bulb located?

Answer 12

In the roof and upper parts of the lateral wall.

Question 13

Name the three parts of the pharynx

Answer 13

1 - Nasopharynx
2 - Oropharynx
3 - Laryngopharynx

Question 14

Name some of the features of the nasopharynx

Answer 14

It transports air and is divided from the oropharynx by soft palate.

Question 15

Name some of the features of the oropharynx

Answer 15

It transports air, fluid and food. These must be separated to the air passes into the larynx while food and fluid passes into the laryngopharynx

Question 16

What is the epiglottis?

Answer 16

It is a flap that prevents food and fluid from entering the lungs

Question 17

What is the ary-epiglottis fold?

Answer 17

Muscles that close the epiglottis.

Question 18

Changing the laryngeal diameters can allow what?

Answer 18

Passage of air only, control of airflow for speech and raising intra-abdominal pressure.

Question 19

What are the different types of laryngeal cartilages?

Answer 19

From the top you have the epiglottic, then thyroid, then arytenoid (sitting on the very top of this are two peaks called corniculate cartilage) and then cricoid.

Question 20

Name two sights that are used for an emergency airway

Answer 20

The cricothyroid membrane and three rings down the trachea.

Question 21

What is the quadrangular membrane?

Answer 21

It is a membrane which is part of the ary-epiglottic fold. (seals off airway)

Question 22

What is the vestibular fold?

Answer 22

It is formed by the lower edge of the quadrangular membrane and it aids the prevention of food and fluid entering the airway.

Question 23

What is the vocal fold?

Answer 23

The vocal chords. They are found at the upper edge of the cricothyroid membrane.

Question 24

What do the aryepiglottic folds form?

Answer 24

The laryngeal inlet, a protective sphincter. The muscles in the fold aid opening and closing of the laryngeal inlet . Closure of the inlet is by elevation of the larynx, occurs during swallowing.

Question 25

Where is the saccule found and what is found there?

Answer 25

It is located in the opening of the laryngeal ventricle, there are mucosal glands which help lubricate the vocal folds.

Question 26

What do the vocal folds control?

Answer 26

The laryngeal diameter for; speech, coughing, sneezing and raising intra-abdominal pressure which is vital in mictrurition (urinating), and lifiting heavy objects.

Question 27

Muscles within or adjacent to the vocal folds control the?

Answer 27

Narorwing or widening of the rima glottidis (the opening of the vocal folds) or alter their tension.

Question 28

What are the functions of the larynx muscles?

Answer 28

• Open and close the ary-epiglottic folds (laryngeal inlet)
• Close and open the rima glottidis
• Shorten and lengthen the vocal folds

Question 29

What nerve supplies the one muscle and sensation above the vocal cords?

Answer 29

The superior laryngeal nerve.

Question 30

What nerve supplies all other muscles and sensation below the vocal cords?

Answer 30

The recurrent laryngeal nerve

Question 31

The trachea lies where?

Answer 31

Medial between the left and right carotid arteries and jugular veins, inferior to the larynx and anterior to oesophagus and the thyroid glands surrounds the upper portion.