Chapter 1 – The Upper Airways (Vocabulary Flashcards)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to the upper airways, anatomy, conditions, and procedures from the lecture notes.

Breathing

Process of moving air in and out of the body (inhaling/exhaling).

Respiration

Gas exchange at the cellular level.

Ventilation

Mechanical movement of air in and out of the body.

Conducting zones

Parts of the airways that conduct air, including upper airway (nose, nasal cavity, oral cavity, pharynx) and lower airway (trachea, tracheobronchial tree, bronchioles, alveoli).

Upper airway

Structures from the nose to the larynx that conduct air.

Nose

External airway opening and structure that conditions air.

Nasal cavity

Air-filled space inside the nose that warms, humidifies, and filters air.

Oral cavity

Mouth; part of the conducting airway.

Pharynx

Throat; a shared passageway for air and swallowed material.

Nostrils (nares)

Openings of the nose through which air enters.

Nasal septum

Wall of bone and cartilage dividing the nostrils.

Vibrissae

Hair inside the nostrils that captures large particles.

Cilia

Fine hairlike structures that move mucus and debris toward the mouth.

Nasal conchae (turbinates)

Bony projections that increase surface area to warm, filter, and humidify air; inferior, middle, and superior conchae.

Goblet cells

Mucus-producing cells in the nasal mucosa.

Mucus membrane

Lining that produces mucus; supports trapping of particles.

Olfactory epithelium

Tissue at the roof of the nasal cavity containing smell receptors.

Olfactory receptors

Sensory receptors for the sense of smell; humans ~6 million.

Anosmia

Loss of sense of smell as a result of damage to the olfactory pathways between the nose and the brain, aging, nasal and/or sinus disease, viral upper respiratory tract infections, and/or trauma.

Hyposmia

Reduced ability to smell as a result of allergies, nasal polyps, infection, or head trauma.

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Hyperosmia

Increased ability to smell. associated with several medical conditions, including pregnancy, migraines, autoimmune disease, and Lyme disease.

Paranasal sinuses

Air-filled spaces (frontal, ethmoid, maxillary, sphenoid) that drain to the nasal cavity and aid in resonance and mucus production.

Frontal sinus

Paranasal sinus located in the frontal bone.

Ethmoid sinus

Paranasal sinus located between the eyes.

Maxillary sinus

Paranasal sinus located in the maxilla.

Sphenoid sinus

Paranasal sinus located within the sphenoid bone.

Nasal congestion

Stuffy nose from excess mucus; may indicate a larger issue and requires assessment.

Rhinitis

Inflammation of the nasal mucous membranes; allergic, nonallergic, or infectious.

Sinusitis

Inflammation of one or more sinus cavities; can be acute or chronic.

Epistaxis

Nosebleed; common in children and older adults; causes include trauma, dryness, medications.

Nasal flaring

Widening of the nostrils during breathing; used to assess newborns.

Alar collapse

Visible closing of the nostrils during breathing; may relate to snoring or sleep apnea.

Oral cavity (mouth)

Mouth opening; part of the upper airway.

Ankyloglossia

Tongue-tied condition with a short/thick lingual frenulum; may affect breastfeeding, speech, swallowing.

Frenulectomy

Surgical release of a tongue tie.

Cold-stim headaches (ice cream headaches)

Sudden sharp pain in the forehead after exposure to cold; cause unknown.

Oral candidiasis (thrush)

Fungal infection by Candida albicans; white lesions in the mouth; risk factors include immune suppression.

Vallecula

Groove behind the tongue used as a landmark during intubation.

Intubation

Placement of a breathing tube through the mouth or nose into the trachea.

Oropharynx

Part of the pharynx from the soft palate to the epiglottis; contains palatine and lingual tonsils; nonciliated stratified squamous epithelium.

Epiglottis

Flap of cartilage that diverts food from the glottis to the esophagus during swallowing; landmark for intubation.

Larynx

Voice box; protects the airway during swallowing and enables vocalization; location between upper and lower airways.

Thyroid cartilage

Largest laryngeal cartilage; Adam’s apple; landmarks important for surgical planning.

Cricoid cartilage

Below the thyroid cartilage; encircles the airway completely.

Arytenoid cartilage

Pyramid-shaped cartilages that anchor vocal ligaments and muscles controlling vocal folds.

Corniculate cartilage

Small cartilages that aid in glottis movement and sound production; located in aryepiglottic folds.

Cuneiform cartilage

Rod-shaped cartilages at the edge of the aryepiglottic folds; provide support to vocal folds and epiglottis.

Vocal cords

Folds of tissue within the larynx that produce voice; true cords (lower) vs false cords (upper).

Rima glottidis

Opening between the true vocal cords.

Glottis

Space between the vocal cords.

Laryngitis

Inflammation of the larynx; can be viral, bacterial, or due to vocal strain.

Laryngeal edema

Fluid buildup in the larynx; can cause airway obstruction after extubation.

Laryngospasm

Sudden spasm of the vocal cords causing airway obstruction.

Pharyngeal reflex (gag reflex)

Contraction of the back of the pharynx when touched; protects against choking.

Otitis media

Middle ear infection; symptoms include pain, fever, and fluid behind the eardrum.

Valsalva maneuver

Exhaling forcefully with a closed airway to equalize middle-ear pressure; has cardiac effects.

Bronchoscopy

Procedure using a scope to visualize the airways and lungs; can be flexible or rigid.

Endotracheal tube (ETT)

Tube inserted through nose or mouth into the trachea to maintain airway and ventilation.

Laryngoscope

Instrument to visualize the larynx and facilitate ETT placement; blades include Macintosh (curved) and Miller (straight).

Macintosh blade

Curved laryngoscope blade used to visualize the larynx.

Miller blade

Straight laryngoscope blade used to visualize the larynx.

Tracheostomy tube

Tube inserted through a surgical opening (stoma) in the trachea to facilitate ventilation.

Stoma

Opening in the neck into the trachea after tracheostomy.

Artificial airways

Devices used to bypass the upper airway to relieve obstruction, allow suctioning, or enable ventilation.