The Structure Of The Repsiratory Tract

Question 1

What makes up the upper respiratory tract?

Answer 1

The nose - nasal cavity

The paranasal sinuses - frontal, maxillary, ethmoid and sphenoid

Pharynx - nasopharynx oropharynx and hypopharynx

Larynx

Question 2

What is the function of the nose?

Answer 2

It is the most superior portion of the respiratory tract.

Multiple functions: 
Increase the temperature 
Humidify 
Filter 
The inspired air. 

The stiff hairs helps filter and trap air helping to humidify it.

Question 3

What the the anterior nares?

Answer 3

It is the external portion of the nose that opens into the vestibule (the area that leads to the nasal cavity).

Question 4

What is the job of the turbinates?

Answer 4

It is bone and tissue in the nose that help to increase the surface area of the surface of the nose and helps helps to humidify and warm the air.

Question 5

What is a meatus?

Answer 5

They are passage through the skulls nasal cavities.

Question 6

What is the frontal sinus?

Where is it located?

Answer 6

Within the frontal bone
Midline
Over orbit and across superciliary arch. (Eye and eyebrow ridge).

Nerve supply = V nerve

Question 7

What is the function the sinuses and do they come in pairs?

Answer 7

Function is to lighten the skull, improve vocalisation and produce mucus that protects from particles and microorganism and also moisture see inside of nose.

Yes all sinuses come in pairs.

Question 8

What is the maxillary sinus and where is it located?

Answer 8

Located in the maxilla
Pyramidal shape - It’s base is at the lateral wall of the nose and its apex is at the zygomatic process.

Roof = floor of orbit.

It opens into the middle meatus via the hiatus semilunaris

Question 9

What is the ethmoid sinus?

Answer 9

It is a labyrinth (aero chocolate) of cells found between the eyes - ice cream pain area.

It is supplied by the V nerve (ophthalmic and maxillary)

Question 10

What is the Sphenoid sinus?

Where is it located?

Answer 10

Medial to the cavernous sinus.
Inferior to the optic canal
Never supply ophthalmic V

Question 11

What is the semilunar hiatus of the middle meatus?

Answer 11

…

Question 12

Sinusitis?

Answer 12

Sinuses become swollen usually due to an infection.

Question 13

What is the pharynx and what is it made up of?

Job?

Answer 13

Hollow fibromuscular tube that starts behind the nose it extends to the neck and ends at the top of the trachea.

It is lined with squamous columnar ciliates epithelium, with mucus glands.

It is posterior to the nasal cavity, mouth and larynx.

It consists of:
Nasopharynx
Oropharynx
Hypopharynx

Acts as a conducting zone for air — lungs, hence it warms and humidifies this air.

Also assists with swelling and is a pathway for food into the oesophagus.

Question 14

What is the nasopharynx?

Answer 14

Part of the pharynx, located behind the nasal cavity.

Bounded by base of skull
Consist of a cartilage spine
Inferiorly opens to the oropharynx at the soft plate.

It has Eustachian tube orifices, which supply air to the middle ear

Pharyngeal tonsils on its posterior wall.

Question 15

What is the oropharynx?

Answer 15

The posterior wall of the oropharynx is found directly behind the uvula and inferior to the hyoid bone.

It has palatine tonsils on the lateral wall.

Contains Palatoglossal folds and palatophayngeal folds ?

Question 16

Larynx function and structure?

Answer 16

The larynx is involved in vocalisation due to muscles and the vocal chords with it.

It is also part of the conducting system and work with the epiglottis via providing a valvular function to keep food from entering the trachea.

It has a rigid structure
With 9 cartilages
Multiples muscles

Question 17

What are the 9 cartilages of the larynx?

Answer 17

Single cartilages:
Epiglottis
Thyroid
Cricoid

Double:
Cuneiform
Corniculate
Aryenoid - rotate on the cricoid to change vocal chords.

Question 18

What is a cricothyrotomy?

Answer 18

When an emergency breathing puncture is made between the thyroid cartilage and the cricoid cartilage.

Question 19

How is the laryngeal innervated?

Answer 19

Via the Vagus (X)
It splits into 2 nerves - superior laryngeal nerve and the recurrent laryngeal nerve.

Superior divides into internal - sensation
External - cricothyroid muscle

Recurrent divides into a left and a right.
Supplies all muscles except cricothryoid.

Question 20

If a patient who regularly smokes comes into clinic with a change in their voice (hoarse), what could be a likely diagnosis?

Answer 20

Cancer which has start to push on the laryngeal nerve.

Question 21

What makes up the lower respiratory tract?

Answer 21

Trachea, main bronchi, lobar bronchi, segmental bronchi, respiratory bronchi, terminal bronchi, alveolar ducts, alveoli

Question 22

What is the main function of the lower respiratory tract?

Answer 22

Conduct the air into the bronchioles and alveoli where gas exchange can occur.

Per minute there is 5l of ventilation

Question 23

During inspiration what are the 2 movements of the thoracic cage?

Answer 23

A bucket handle and a water pump.

Outward and upward

Question 24

How are the intercostal spaces and ribs labelled?

Answer 24

The ribs are labelled 1st and then the space underneath are labelled the 1st 2nd etc intercostal space.

Question 25

Where is an emergency chest drain inserted?

Answer 25

Midclavicular line, 2nd rib

Question 26

What rib is the sternal angle on?

Answer 26

It is on the 2nd intercostal cartilage/ rib

Question 27

What is the trachea?

Answer 27

It Is a hollow tubed form of semicircular cartilage with smooth muscle posteriorly.

It is lined by pseudo stratified, ciliated, columnar epithelium and goblet cells.

Conducts air from the larynx to the carina

Question 28

What is the carina?

Answer 28

Ridge/ sharp division at the base of the trachea that separates the openings of the right and left bronchi.

Question 29

How do the left and right bronchi differ?

Answer 29

The right main bronchus is more vertically exposed and is 1-2.5 cm long.

Whereas the left main bronchus is 5 cm long and more angled.

Question 30

What is a bronchoscope?

Answer 30

Endoscopic technique used to visualise inside of airways.

A thin tube with a camera is passed down your throat into the bronchus.

Question 31

What are the lobar bronchi?

Answer 31

They are sub divisions of the main bronchi.

They are conducting cartilaginous airways that supply specific lobes.

The right is formed of the upper lobe, middle lobe and lower lobe
The left is formed of the upper lobe and lingular as well as the lower lobe bronchi.

Question 32

What is a pulmonary ancinus?

Answer 32

Portion of lung distal to the terminal bronchiole

Alveoli become more perfused with increasing subdivisions.

Ducts are short tubes with multiple alveoli.

Question 33

What are the connections between alveoli called?

Answer 33

Pores of Kohn

Allow air to move, but also pathogens

Question 34

Alveoli structure:

Answer 34

See histology notes

Question 35

What is the pleura and what are the layers and function?

Of what origin are they?

Answer 35

Visceral - applied to the lung surface

Parietal - applied to the internal chest wall.

Each are a single cell layer.
There is a small amount of fluid in between - 10ml.
Parietal pleura has pain sensation visceral is only autonomic innervation.

Origin = mesodermal

Question 36

What is the bronchovascular bundle?

Answer 36

A bundle made up of mothers main bronchi and the pulmonary vessels.

Question 37

What blood supply goes to the lungs?

Answer 37

The bronchial and pulmonary circulations.

Bronchial arteries and veins.
Alveoli drain into the pulmonary veins.