Anesthesiology - Airway Anatomy

Front 1

What is the vallecula?

Back 1

The epiglottic vallecula is a depression (vallecula) just behind the root of the tongue between the folds in the throat.

These depressions serve as "spit traps"; saliva is temporarily held in the valleculae to prevent initiation of the swallowing reflex.

It is frequently an important landmark in intubation, where the blade-tip of a Macintosh-style laryngoscope is placed to facilitate direct visualization of the glottis.

Front 2

What is the narrowest region of the adult airway?

Back 2

Larynx

Front 3

What is the inferior border of the "upper airway"?

Back 3

Larynx

Front 4

Where does the "lower airway" begin?

Back 4

Below the larynx

Front 5

The cricoid cartilage is at the level of which cervical vertebra?

Back 5

C6

Front 6

The trachea bifurcates into the right and left main-stem bronchi at the level of which vertebra?

Back 6

T4

Front 7

Which mainstem bronchus is more upright, rendering it the most opening for a foreign body to enter?

Back 7

Right

Front 8

Which nerve carries somatic sensory information away from the anterior 2/3 of the tongue?

Back 8

Lingual nerve

Front 9

Which nerve carries taste sensation from the posterior 1/3 of the tongue?

Back 9

Glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)

Front 10

Which nerve carries taste sensation from the anterior 2/3 of the tongue?

Back 10

Facial nerve (CN VII)

Front 11

Which two verterbrae landmark the larynx?

Back 11

C4-C6

Front 12

Name the nine pieces of cartilage of the larynx.

Back 12

Singular:
-Thyroid
-Cricoid
-Epiglottis

Paired:
-cuneiform
-arytenoid
-corniculate

Front 13

Where does the hyoid bone lie relative to the thyroid cartilage?

Back 13

Superiorly

Front 14

Name the ligament that connects the thyroid cartilage to the hyoid bone.

Back 14

Thyrohyoid membrane

Front 15

What is the glottis?

Back 15

The glottis is comprised of the vocal folds ("true vocal cords") and the space between them, the rima glottidis

Front 16

Name the ligament that connects the thyroid cartilage to the cricoid cartilage.

Back 16

Cricothyroid ligament

Front 17

Where is the isthmus of the thyroid gland relative to the cricoid cartilage?

Back 17

The isthmus of the thyroid cartilage lies INFERIOR to the cricoid cartilage

From superior to inferior:
Hyoid bone
Thyroid cartilage
Cricoid cartilage
Thyroid gland

Front 18

Describe the airway epithelium superior to the vocal folds.

Describe the airway epithelium below the vocal folds.

Back 18

Superior - stratified squamous epithelium

Inferior - Ciliated columnar epithelium with mucus-producing globlet and basal cells.

Front 19

What are the ventricular folds?

What's another name for the ventricular folds?

Back 19

The ventricular folds are the "false vocal cords," a second set of folds that lies directly above the true cords.

Front 20

Give the real name for the false vocal cords.

Back 20

Ventricular folds

Front 21

Give the real name for the true vocal cords.

Back 21

Vocal folds

Front 22

Give the name of the space between the vocal folds.

Back 22

Rima glottidis

Front 23

Together, the vocal folds and the rima glottidis comprise the...

Back 23

Glottis

Front 24

Name the pieces of cartilage that sit upon the arytenoid cartilage.

Back 24

Corniculate cartilage

Front 25

Name a set of muscles that adduct the vocal folds.

Back 25

Lateral cricoarytenoid muscles

Front 26

What do the lateral cricoarytenoid muscles do?

Back 26

Adduct the vocal folds

Front 27

What do the posterior cricoarytenoid muscles do?

Back 27

Abduct the vocal folds

Front 28

Name a set of muscles that abduct the vocal folds

Back 28

Posterior cricoarytenoid muscles

Front 29

Which two nerves innervate the larynx and trachea?

Back 29

Superior laryngeal nerve
Recurrent laryngeal nerve

Front 30

Which nerve innervates all but one of the muscles that move the vocal folds?

Back 30

Recurrent laryngeal nerve

Front 31

Why might injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve result in a change in voice?

Back 31

The recurrent laryngeal nerve innervates all but one of the muscles that move the vocal folds.

Front 32

Which is the only muscle to move the vocal folds that is not innervated by the recurrent laryngeal nerve?

What action does this muscle have on the vocal folds?

Back 32

Cricothyroid muscle

Adduction

Front 33

What is the atlanto-occipital joint?

Back 33

The joint between the atlas and the occiput.

The atlas is the first cervical vertebra.

The occiput is the posterior bone of the skull.

In other words, the atlanto-occipital joint is the joint between the skull and the vertebral column.

Front 34

What effect does sympathetic activity have on airway smooth muscle?

Back 34

Relaxation of smooth muscle, dilation of airway

Front 35

What effect does parasympathetic activity have on airway smooth muscle?

Back 35

Contraction of smooth muscle, narrowing of airway