Airway Management Flashcards

The intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA/Fastrach) differs from a standard LMA in that it is designed to:

Answer: Allow blind or fiberoptic-guided endotracheal tube placement through the LMA

The ILMA has a rigid curved shaft, epiglottic elevating bar, and detachable airway tube designed to guide a specially designed endotracheal tube through the LMA into the trachea.

Tension pneumothorax during positive pressure ventilation is recognized by which clinical triad?

Answer: Hypotension, absent breath sounds, tracheal deviation away from affected side

Tension pneumothorax causes one-sided absent breath sounds, hypotension from obstructed venous return, and tracheal deviation away from the affected side as mediastinal structures shift.

When managing a difficult pediatric airway, which sizing rule is used to estimate the appropriate uncuffed ETT internal diameter?

Answer: (Age/4) + 4

The formula (age in years ÷ 4) + 4 estimates the appropriate uncuffed endotracheal tube internal diameter in millimeters for pediatric patients.

Postoperative hoarseness and sore throat after general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation is most commonly attributed to what?

Answer: Arytenoid cartilage trauma and vocal cord irritation from tube contact

Direct contact of the ETT cuff and tube against the posterior laryngeal structures, arytenoid cartilages, and vocal cords causes mucosal irritation and inflammation resulting in sore throat and hoarseness.

Which technique is used to minimize the risk of accidental esophageal extubation during patient positioning after intubation?

Answer: Auscultation and capnography confirmation after every position change

Repositioning the patient can cause tube migration; confirming bilateral breath sounds and continuous capnography waveform after each position change detects displacement immediately.

The narrowest part of the adult airway, which determines the maximum ETT size, is located at what structure?

Answer: Glottis (vocal cords)

In adults, the glottis (the opening between the vocal cords) is the narrowest part of the airway and is the limiting factor for endotracheal tube size selection.