Week 2: AIrway Assessment Flashcards
Upper airway obstruction - primary cause
Tongue obstructs the airway - genioglossus muscle relaxes and allows the younger to obstruct the airway
Nasopharynx position
Lies anterior to C1 bound superiority by the base of the skull
Nasopharynx sensory inner action
Trigeminal nerve
Oropharynx position
C2-C3
Hypopharynx position
Posterior to the larynx
Bound by superior border of epiglottis and the inferior border of the cricoid cartilage at C5-C6
Hypopharynx is innervated by
2 branches of the vagus nerve
Internal branch of superior laryngeal nerve (SLN)
Sensory input Hypopharynx above chords
External branch SLN
Motor function to cricothyroid muscle of larynx
Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve (RLN)
Sensory innervation to the subglottic area and treachea
Right RLN branches
From the vagus and loops around the innominate artery
Left RLN branches from —->
Vagus and loops around the aorta
Traction on Right or Left RLN can cause
Hoarseness or stridor
Motor innervation of RLN provides function to:
All muscles of larynx EXCEPT the cricothyroid muscle
Superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) and Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve (RLN) may be damaged by
Surgery or trauma
Bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) damage
Respiratory distress
Unilateral RLN damage causes
Hoarseness
Trigeminal nerve (CN V) components
Opthalmic (V1)
Maxilary (V2)
Mandibular(V3)
Opthalmic (V2) innervates:
Nares and anterior 1/3 of nasal septum
Maxillary (v2) innervates:
Turbinates and septum
Mandibular (V3) innervates
Anterior 2/3 of tongue
Glossopharyngeal (CN IX) innervates:
Soft palate
Oropharynx
Tonsils
Posterior 1/3 of tongue
Vallecula
Anterior side of epiglottis
*afferent limb of gag reflex
Superior Laryngeal (SLN) External branch (motor vs. sensory)
Motor only
NO SENSORY
SLN internal branch (sensory vs motor)
Sensory only
NO MOTOR
SLN INTERNAL branch innervates
Posterior side of epiglottis —> level of the vocal chords
Recurrent Laryngeal nerve (RLN) innervates
Below level of vocal cords —> Trachea
External Superior Laryngeal (SLN) motor innervation
Cricothyroid muscles (tense vocal chords)
Internal branch SLN motor innervation
None
Recurrent Laryngeal (RLN) Motor innervation
All intrinsic muscles EXCEPT Cricothyroid
Larynx is composed of:
3 single cartilages
-Thyroid
-Cricoid
-Epiglottis
3 paired cartilages:
-arytenoid
-corniculate
-cuneiform
INTRINSIC and EXTRINSIC muscles