week 2 Flashcards
the anatomy of the upper airway
pharynx nose mouth larynx trachea main-stem bronchi
mouth and pharynx
The mouth and pharynx are also a part of the upper gastrointestinal tract. The laryngeal structures in part serve to prevent aspiration into the trachea
nose
nose-which leads to the nasopharynx
mouth
mouth -which leads to the oropharynx
These passages are separated anteriorly by the palate, but they join posteriorly in the pharynx
pharynx
is a U-shaped fibromuscular structure that extends from the base of the skull to the cricoid cartilage at the entrance to the esophagus.
It opens anteriorly into the nasal cavity, the mouth, the larynx, and the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and laryngopharynx, respectively.
Nasopharynx
is separated from the oropharynx by an imaginary plane that extends posteriorly.
At the base of the tongue, the epiglottis functionally separates the oropharynx from the laryngopharynx (or hypopharynx).
epiglottis
The epiglottis prevents aspiration by covering the glottis—the opening of the larynx—during swallowing.
larynx
The larynx is a cartilaginous skeleton held together by ligaments and muscle.
The larynx is composed of nine cartilages: thyroid, cricoid, epiglottic, and (in pairs) arytenoid, corniculate, and cuneiform.
thyroid cartilage
The thyroid cartilage shields the conus elasticus, which forms the vocal cords.
v1v2v3
The mucous membranes of the nose are innervated by the ophthalmic division (V1) of the trigeminal nerve anteriorly (anterior ethmoidal nerve) and by the maxillary division (V2) posteriorly (sphenopalatine nerves).
The palatine nerves provide sensory fibers from the trigeminal nerve (V) to the superior and inferior surfaces of the hard and soft palate.
The olfactory nerve (cranial nerve I) innervates the nasal mucosa to provide the sense of smell.
the lingual nerve
(a branch of the mandibular division [V3] of the trigeminal nerve) and the glossopharyngeal nerve (the ninth cranial nerve) provide general sensation to the anterior two-thirds and posterior one-third of the tongue, respectively.
facial and glossopharyngeal
Branches of the facial nerve (VII) and glossopharyngeal nerve provide the sensation of taste to those areas, respectively.
The glossopharyngeal nerve also innervates the roof of the pharynx, the tonsils, and the undersurface of the soft palate.
superior laryngeal branch- external and internal
The superior laryngeal branch of the vagus divides into an external (motor) nerve and an internal (sensory) laryngeal nerve that provide sensory supply to the larynx between the epiglottis and the vocal cords.
recurrent laryngeal nerve
Another branch of the vagus, the recurrent laryngeal nerve, innervates the larynx below the vocal cords and the trachea.
vagus nerve
The vagus nerve (the tenth cranial nerve) provides sensation to the airway below the epiglottis.
Sensory innervation from the mucosal lining of the larynx above the vocal folds is done by the internal laryngeal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (CNX).
The recurrent laryngeal nerve, a branch of vagus nerve (CNX) innervates the Larynx below the vocal folds.
posterior Cricoarytenoids
abduct vocal cords (dilate)
lateral cricoartyenoid
adduct adduct vocal cords (close)
cricothyroids
cords tense
thyroarytenoids
they relax
unilateral right recurrent laryngeal nerve damage
clinical picture- hoarseness results
this is the most common injury after subtotal thyroidectomy. this injury is characterized by horseless and a paralyzed cord that assumes an intermediated position (midway between abduction and adduction)
bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve damage
clinical picture- aphonia and airway obstruction. (stridor)
this injury results in aphonia and paralyzed cords. each paralyzed cord assumes an intermediate position (midway between abduction and adduction) the cords can flop together causing airway obstruction during inspiration intubation is required.
phonation
phonation involves complex simultaneous actions by several laryngeal muscles. Damage to the motor nerves innervating the larynx leads to a spectrum of speech disorders
Unilateral denervation of a cricothyroid muscle causes very subtle clinical findings.
chronic bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve loss
Airway problems are less frequent in chronic bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve loss because of the development of various compensatory mechanisms.
bilateral superior laryngeal nerve damage
bilateral palsy of the superior laryngeal nerve may result in hoarseness or easy tiring of the voice, but airway control is not jeopardized
larynx blood supply
The blood supply of the larynx is derived from branches of the thyroid arteries.
cricothyroid artery blood supply
The cricothyroid artery arises from the superior thyroid artery itself, the first branch off the external carotid artery), and crosses the upper cricothyroid membrane, which extends from the cricoid cartilage to the thyroid cartilage
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The superior thyroid artery is found along the lateral edge of the cricothyroid membrane.
the trachea
The trachea begins beneath the cricoid cartilage and extends to the carina, the point at which the right and left main-stem bronchi divide.
Anteriorly, the trachea consists of cartilaginous rings; posteriorly, the trachea is membranous.
routine airway management
listen to stomach first
Airway assessment Preparation and equipment check Patient positioning Preoxygenation Bag and mask ventilation (BMV) Intubation (if indicated) Confirmation of endotracheal tube placement Intraoperative management and troubleshooting Extubation
airway assessment
Mouth opening Upper lip bite test Mallampati classification Thyromental distance Neck circumference Airway assessment is the first step in successful airway management. Several anatomical and functional maneuvers can be performed to estimate the difficulty of endotracheal intubation.
mouth opening and upper lip bite test
An incisor distance of 3 cm or greater is desirable in an adult.
The lower teeth are brought in front of the upper teeth. The degree to which this can be done estimates the range of motion of the temporomandibular joints
Mallampati classification
Class I: the entire palatal arch, including the bilateral faucial pillars, are visible down to their bases.
Class II: the upper part of the faucial pillars and most of the uvula are visible.
Class III: only the soft and hard palates are visible.
Class IV: only the hard palate is visible.
cricoid pressure
apply 3-5kg pressure/30 newtons
neck circumference
Neck circumference: a neck circumference of greater than 17 in is suggestive of difficulties in visualization of the glottic opening
thyromental distance
Thyromental distance: the distance between the mentum and the superior thyroid notch. A distance of 3 fingerbreadths or more is desirable. Less than 3 fingerbreadths is non-reassuring
Equipment
Preparation is mandatory for all airway management scenarios. The following equipment is routinely needed in airway management situations:
An oxygen source
BMV capability
Laryngoscopes (direct and video)
Several endotracheal tubes of different sizes
Other (not endotracheal tube) airway devices (e.g., oral, nasal airways)
Suction
Oximetry and CO2 detection
Stethoscope
Tape
Blood pressure and electrocardiography (ECG) monitors
Intravenous access
oral and nasal airways
Loss of upper airway muscle tone in anesthetized patients allows the tongue and epiglottis to fall back against the posterior wall of the pharynx.
Repositioning the head or a jaw thrust is the preferred technique for opening the airway. To maintain the opening, an artificial airway can be inserted through the mouth or nose to maintain an air passage between the tongue and the posterior pharyngeal wall.
Awake or lightly anesthetized patients with intact laryngeal reflexes may cough or even develop laryngospasm during airway insertion. Placement of an oral airway is sometimes facilitated by suppressing airway reflexes, and, in addition, sometimes by depressing the tongue with a tongue blade.
nasal and oral airways including contraindications and sizing
Adult oral airways typically come in small (80 mm [Guedel No. 3]), medium (90 mm [Guedel No. 4]), and large (100 mm [Guedel No. 5]) sizes.
The length of a nasal airway can be estimated as the distance from the nares to the meatus of the ear and should be approximately 2-4 cm longer than oral airways.
Because of the risk of epistaxis, nasal airways are less desirable in anticoagulated or thrombocytopenic patients.
Also, nasal airways (and nasogastric tubes) should be used with caution in patients with basilar skull fractures, where there has been a case report of a nasogastric tube entering the cranial vault.
All tubes inserted through the nose (e.g., nasal airways, nasogastric catheters, nasotracheal tubes) should be lubricated before being advanced along the floor of the nasal passage.
The face mask
Can facilitate the delivery of oxygen or an anesthetic gas from a breathing system to a patient by creating an airtight seal with the patient’s face.
The rim of the mask is contoured and conforms to a variety of facial features. The mask’s 22-mm orifice attaches to the breathing circuit of the anesthesia machine through a right-angle connector.
Transparent masks allow observation of exhaled humidified gas and immediate recognition of vomitus.
Retaining hooks surrounding the orifice can be attached to a head strap so that the mask does not have to be continually held in place
Face mask- how to hold
If the mask is held with the left hand, the right hand can be used to generate positive-pressure ventilation by squeezing the breathing bag.
The mask is held against the face by downward pressure on the mask body exerted by the left thumb and index finger.
The middle and ring finger grasp the mandible to facilitate extension of the atlantooccipital joint.
Finger pressure should be placed on the bony mandible and not on the soft tissues supporting the base of the tongue, which may obstruct the airway.
The little finger is placed under the angle of the jaw and used to thrust the jaw anteriorly, the most important maneuver to allow ventilation to the patient.