Airway - Exam 1 - Lecture 1 Flashcards
(23 cards)
Most common injury to airway
vocal cord paralysis
Outcomes related to difficult airway claims (4)
Death, brain damage, airway injury, and aspiration
What separates the two sections of airway?
Cricoid cartilage separates upper and lower airway
Lower airway is located where and what does it include?
Below cricoid!
Trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, terminal bronchioles, respiratory bronchioles, and alveoli
Upper airway is located where and what does it include?
Above cricoid!
Nose, mouth, pharynx, hypo pharynx (laryngopharynx). larynx, and vocal cords
3 sections of pharynx
naso, oro, and hypo (laryngo)
Nasopharyngeal cervical level
C1 – skull to soft palate
Oropharyngeal cervical level
C2-C3 – soft palate to epiglottis
Hypopharyngeal cervical level
C5-C6 – epiglottis to cricoid
Larynx level
C4, C5, C6 – higher in females than males
How many cartilages in the larynx?
Nine
3 single & 3 paired cartilages
Single cartilages in larynx
Thyroid cartilage (Adam’s apple)
Cricoid cartilage (signet ring @ C6)
Epiglottis
Epiglottis function
protects airway from aspiration
Larynx paired cartilages
Corniculate - horn shaped
Cuneiform - wedge shaped
Arytenoid - attached to adductor and abductor intrinsic muscles
3 Major Functions of the Larynx
- Protection of the lower airway
- Facilitate respiration
- Facilitate phonation
Where is vallecula?
area between tongue and epiglottis
What anchors and suspends larynx?
Hyoid bone
*does not articulate with any other bones
In the upper airway, what are intrinsic muscles functions?
Vocal cord tension (open and close)
In the upper airway, what are extrinsic muscles functions?
Position, phonation, and swallowing
What is elastic cartilage that attaches to hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage?
Epiglottis
What type of joint is cricothyroid joint?
Synovial joint
Laryngeal injuries are most common in… (80%)
Routine, non-difficult tracheal intubations
