NUR 729 AIRWAY ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS 2024-2025
What is a difficult airway?
when the anesthetist has difficulty ventilating with a facemask, difficulty with
laryngoscopy, difficulty with intubation (just one, or a combination of these
things)
What findings are associated with pierre-robin syndrome?
- micrognathia (small mandible)
- cleft palate
- glossoptosis (downward displacement of tongue)
-retrognathia (posterior displacement of mandible)
- displacement of larynx
What findings are associated with treacher-collins syndrome?
-auricular and ocular defects
-small cheek bones
-mandibular hypoplasia
What findings are associated with Goldenhar's syndrome?
-auricular and ocular defects
,-malar and mandibular hypoplasia
-hearing loss or deficits
-spinal abnormalities that lead to scoliosis and/or kyphosis
-abnormal rib structure including missing or fused ribs
-thoracic insufficiency and diminished lung function
-difficulty with airway gets worse as they get older
what findings are associated with Downs syndrome?
-almost absent bridge of nose
-macroglossia
-OSA
what findings are associated with Klippel-Feil syndrome?
-congenital fusion of cervical vertebrae (at least 2 of 7)
-difficulty with neck mobility
What landmarks might be difficult to locate in a person with a large goiter?
trachea or thyroid cartilage
What airway complications could a person with a goiter have?
,compression of trachea; deviation of larynx or trachea; distortion of airway;
fixed larynx
What is supraglottitis?
edema of the epiglottis
what are typical symptoms of croup, age group associated with croup, and the
treatment for it?
Symptoms: barking cough, hoarseness, stridor; "steeple" on xray of airway
Seen in 6 months of age to 6 years
Treatment: steroids and racemic epi
What causes Ludwig's angina?
typically caused by dental infections in adults -cellulitis of the floor of the mouth
______________________ is an inflammatory disease causing vertebral
structures to fuse together.
ankylosing spondylitis
__________________________ is caused by degenerative changes in bones and
intervertebral discs of the neck. Some people call this ______________________
, rheumatoid arthritis
osteoarthritis of the neck
In obstructive sleep apnea, ______________________ tissue blocks the airway
and causes difficulty with ventilation and intubation.
redundant
Why do morbidly obese patients desaturate quickly?
due to a decrease in functional residual capacity (FRC)
Anesthetists do what is called ___________ to help facilitate morbidly obese
patients into the sniffing position and aid in mask ventilation.
ramping up
Why is it difficult to mask ventilate morbidly obese patients?
excessive weight from the chest and abdominal tissues causes compression of
the lungs; excessive soft tissue in the oropharyngeal and pharyngeal cavities
cause resistance to air flow; a short and thick neck make a mask seal difficult
How do you assess the Atlanto-Occipital joint extension?
With patient in sniffing position, ask them to hold head erect, line of sight
parallel to the ground, and ask them to open their mouth as wide as possible.
CORRECT ANSWERS 2024-2025
What is a difficult airway?
when the anesthetist has difficulty ventilating with a facemask, difficulty with
laryngoscopy, difficulty with intubation (just one, or a combination of these
things)
What findings are associated with pierre-robin syndrome?
- micrognathia (small mandible)
- cleft palate
- glossoptosis (downward displacement of tongue)
-retrognathia (posterior displacement of mandible)
- displacement of larynx
What findings are associated with treacher-collins syndrome?
-auricular and ocular defects
-small cheek bones
-mandibular hypoplasia
What findings are associated with Goldenhar's syndrome?
-auricular and ocular defects
,-malar and mandibular hypoplasia
-hearing loss or deficits
-spinal abnormalities that lead to scoliosis and/or kyphosis
-abnormal rib structure including missing or fused ribs
-thoracic insufficiency and diminished lung function
-difficulty with airway gets worse as they get older
what findings are associated with Downs syndrome?
-almost absent bridge of nose
-macroglossia
-OSA
what findings are associated with Klippel-Feil syndrome?
-congenital fusion of cervical vertebrae (at least 2 of 7)
-difficulty with neck mobility
What landmarks might be difficult to locate in a person with a large goiter?
trachea or thyroid cartilage
What airway complications could a person with a goiter have?
,compression of trachea; deviation of larynx or trachea; distortion of airway;
fixed larynx
What is supraglottitis?
edema of the epiglottis
what are typical symptoms of croup, age group associated with croup, and the
treatment for it?
Symptoms: barking cough, hoarseness, stridor; "steeple" on xray of airway
Seen in 6 months of age to 6 years
Treatment: steroids and racemic epi
What causes Ludwig's angina?
typically caused by dental infections in adults -cellulitis of the floor of the mouth
______________________ is an inflammatory disease causing vertebral
structures to fuse together.
ankylosing spondylitis
__________________________ is caused by degenerative changes in bones and
intervertebral discs of the neck. Some people call this ______________________
, rheumatoid arthritis
osteoarthritis of the neck
In obstructive sleep apnea, ______________________ tissue blocks the airway
and causes difficulty with ventilation and intubation.
redundant
Why do morbidly obese patients desaturate quickly?
due to a decrease in functional residual capacity (FRC)
Anesthetists do what is called ___________ to help facilitate morbidly obese
patients into the sniffing position and aid in mask ventilation.
ramping up
Why is it difficult to mask ventilate morbidly obese patients?
excessive weight from the chest and abdominal tissues causes compression of
the lungs; excessive soft tissue in the oropharyngeal and pharyngeal cavities
cause resistance to air flow; a short and thick neck make a mask seal difficult
How do you assess the Atlanto-Occipital joint extension?
With patient in sniffing position, ask them to hold head erect, line of sight
parallel to the ground, and ask them to open their mouth as wide as possible.
