Upper Respiratory Tract (URT) and Lower Respiratory Tract (LRT)

Question 1

What does the upper respiratory tract consist of?

Answer 1

Nasal cavity
Pharynx
Larynx

Question 2

What are the roles of the larynx? (2)

Answer 2

Voice box = A set of cartilages, membranes and ligaments which produce sound from expired air.
Protection = protects the inlet to the respiratory system

Question 3

At what vertebral level does the larynx become the trachea?

Answer 3

C6

Question 4

What does the lower respiratory tract consist of?

Answer 4

Trachea
Main/principle/primary bronchus
Bronchioles
Alveoli

Question 5

Where does the LRT receive motor innervation from?

Answer 5

• Sympathetic fibres originating in the upper thoracic spinal levels via pulmonary plexuses.
• Parasympathetic fibres from the vagus nerve.

Question 6

Where is the pulmonary plexus located?

Answer 6

The termination of the main bronchi

Question 7

How does sensory supply reach the spinal cord?

Answer 7

Via sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves

Question 8

What is the arterial supply of the LRT?

Answer 8

Via bronchial arteries arising from the thoracic aorta and intercostal arteries.

Question 9

Explain the venous drainage of the LRT?

Answer 9

Bronchial veins drain to the azygous venous system

Question 10

What is the vertebral level of the trachea?

Answer 10

C6 - T4

Question 11

Where is the bifurcation of the trachea?

Answer 11

T4

Question 12

What is the V-shaped cartilage at the bifurcation of the trachea called?

Answer 12

Carina

Question 13

Approximately how many cartilage rings are then in the trachea?

Answer 13

16 - 20

Question 14

What muscles completes the tracheal ring posteriorly?

Answer 14

Trachealis muscle

Question 15

What organ lies immediately posterior to the trachea?

Answer 15

Oesophagus

Question 16

What lies immediately lateral to the trachea at the neck?

Answer 16

The common carotid arteries

Question 17

What nerve lies immediately lateral to the trachea on both sides?

Answer 17

Vagus nerve

Question 18

What do you call the grooves lying between the trachea and the oesophagus left and right?

Answer 18

Tracheo-oesophageal grooves

Question 19

What is lodged in the tracheao-oesophageal grooves?

Answer 19

Recurrent laryngeal nerves

Question 20

What do the recurrent laryngeal nerves supply?

Answer 20

Motor and sensory innervation to the larynx

Question 21

How is the right bronchus different to the left?

Answer 21

Shorter
Wider
More vertical

Question 22

In which bronchus are you more likely to find aspirated objects and why?

Answer 22

Right
- It’s more vertical

Question 23

How does the right primary bronchus divide?

Answer 23

Gives of superior branch before entering the lung.
Posterior branch enters lung before diving into secondary bronchi.

Question 24

What is the name of the superior branch of the right bronchus?

Answer 24

Superior lobar bronchus OR Eparterial

Question 25

What is the inferior right bronchus called?

Answer 25

Hyparterial bronchus

Question 26

What is the role of bronchioles?

Answer 26

Control of airflow

Question 27

How do bronchioles control airflow?

Answer 27

Increased smooth muscle and elastic fibre content (and have lost their cartilage).