Structure of the Airway

Question 1

What is respiration?

Answer 1

Providing oxygen to the body and removing carbon dioxide through inhalation and exhalation

Question 2

How does your body inhale air?

Answer 2

The contraction and lowering of the diaphragm and raising the ribs

This creates an intra-thoracic pressure

Question 3

How does your body exhale?

Answer 3

Decreasing the size of the thorax

Question 4

What must happens to the air before it reaches the lungs?

Answer 4

It must be warmed, filtered and humidified

Question 5

How is the air warmed, filtered etc?

Answer 5

By passing through vascular mucosa, cilia and mucus

Question 6

Where are the nasal cavities found?

Answer 6

Above the oral cavity between the two orbits, posterior to the nose and anterior to the nasopharynx

Question 7

Describe the respiratory epithelium?

Answer 7

At the beginning it pseudostratified, ciliated, columnar, interspersed with goblet cells

Question 8

What is the nasal spetum?

Answer 8

A midline structure which separates the left and right nasal cavities

Question 9

What is the septum made from?

Answer 9

Anteriorly- septal cartilage

Posteriorly- Bone

Question 10

What are the boundaries of the nasal cavities?

Answer 10

Medial- nasal septum

Lateral- Nasal conchae

Floor- Hard and soft palate

Roof- Bone

Question 11

Where is the sense of smell developed in the nose?

Answer 11

At the caudal end near the frontal bone

Lined by olfactory epithelium

Question 12

Where is incoming air filtered, humidified and warmed in the nasal cavity?

Answer 12

Conchae

Question 13

Where are the nasal conchae?

Answer 13

Lateral wall

Question 14

How many nasal conchae are there?

Answer 14

Superior

Middle

Inferior

Question 15

What does the structure of nasal conchae allow?

Answer 15

Larger surface area for heat exchange and turbulence

Question 16

What are meati?

Answer 16

Space behind the nasal conchae

Question 17

What are important for meati?

Answer 17

They are our entrance point for our sinuses

Question 18

What is the clearance of the maxillary sinus dependent on?

Answer 18

Ciliary action

Question 19

What happens if their is an infection in the sinuses?

Answer 19

Sinusitis

Question 20

What is the function of sinuses?

Answer 20

Voids that can warm air etc

Reduce weight of the head

Question 21

What is the nasolacrimal duct?

Answer 21

Drains excess material from your eyes

Question 22

What are the four sinuses?

Answer 22

Frontal

Ethmoidal

Maxillary

Sphenoidal

Question 23

Where is the olfactory bulb?

Answer 23

Cranial cavity

Question 24

What is the pharynx?

Answer 24

A tube of fibrous and muscular tissue which can be divided into 3 parts

Question 25

What are the three parts of the pharynx?

Answer 25

Nasopharynx Oropharynx Laryngopharynx

Question 26

What is the function of the nasopharynx?

Answer 26

Transports air Divided from oropharynx by soft palate

Question 27

What is the function of oropharynx?

Answer 27

Transports air plus food and fluid

Question 28

Where does food travel?

Answer 28

From the oropharynx then to the laryngopharynx

Question 29

Where does air travel?

Answer 29

Either form nasopharynx or oropharynx to the larynx

Question 30

What stops the food or fluid entering the respiratory tract?

Answer 30

Epiglottis

Question 31

What is the cricothyroid membrane the site of?

Answer 31

Emergency access to the airway

Question 32

What do the aryepiglottic folds form?

Answer 32

Laryngeal inlet

Question 33

What closes the laryngeal inlet?

Answer 33

Elevation of the larynx which is lifted during swallowing

Question 34

What controls the laryngeal diameter?

Answer 34

The vocal folds

Question 35

What process are controlled by the vocal folds?

Answer 35

Speech Coughing Sneezing Raising intra-abdominal pressure Micturition Defecation Lifting heavy objects

Question 36

What is the space between the vocal chords called?

Answer 36

Rima glottidis

Question 37

What are the main functions of the muscles in the larynx?

Answer 37

Close/open the inlet Close/open the rima glottides Shortening/lengthen the vocal folds

Question 38

What is the only muscle that opens the rima glottides?

Answer 38

Posterior crico-arytenoid

Question 39

What is the function of the arytenoid cartilage?

Answer 39

Allow air to pass through vocal cords Keep airway open through the larynx Allows adjusting of tension for sound pitch Aid in movement of the vocal cords Allow tension or relaxation of the vocal folds

Question 40

What are the different cartilages of the larynx?

Answer 40

Epiglottic Thyroid Arytenoid Cricoid

Question 41

What are the three nerves in the larynx?

Answer 41

Superior laryngeal nerve Left recurrent laryngeal nerve Right recurrent laryngeal nerve

Question 42

What does the superior laryngeal nerve innervate?

Answer 42

The area above the vocal cords

Question 43

What do the recurrent laryngeal nerves innervate?

Answer 43

The are below the vocal cords

Question 44

What is the position of the trachea?

Answer 44

In front of oesophagus Medial to carotid arteries and internal jugular veins Inferior to larynx Thyroid gland surrounds the upper portion

Question 45

What does the trachea split into?

Answer 45

Right and left main bronchi