What cranial nerve innervates the superior and inferior surfaces of the hard and soft palate?
palatine nerves (sensory fibers from the trigeminal (V) nerve)
What cranial nerve innervates the anterior two-thirds of the tongue?
lingual nerve, a branch of the mandibular division (V3) of the trigeminal nerve
What cranial nerve innervates the posterior one-third of the tongue?
glossopharyngeal (IX) nerve
Also innervates the roof of the pharynx, the tonsils, and the undersurface of the soft palate.
What nerve provides taste to the tongue?
facial (VII) nerve (chord tympani) anteriorly
glossopharyngeal (IX) nerve posteriorly
What does the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (vagus) supply?
Motor to cricothyroid
What does the internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (vagus) supply?
SENSORY to the larynx b/w the epiglottis and the vocal cords and to the HYPOPHARYNX posterior to those structures
What does the recurrent laryngeal branch of the vagus nerve supply?
SENSORY to the larynx below the vocal cords and the trachea
Motor to all of the laryngeal muscles EXCEPT the cricothyroid muscle (external branch of superior laryngeal n.)
Where does the larynx start and end?
epiglottis –> cricoid cartilages
How many laryngeal cartilages are there and what are their names?
9 cartilages:
3 single cartilages (thyroid, cricoid, epiglottic)
3 paired cartilages (arytenoid, corniculate, and cuneiform)
What cartilages forms the only complete ring in the upper airway?
cricoid
The position of which artery needs to be considered when planning a cricothyrotomy?
Superior cricothyroid arteries in upper 1/3 of cricothyroid membrane crossing horizontally
Carotid –> superior and inferior thyroid arteries –> laryngeal branches
Which is the only abductor muscle of the vocal cords?
posterior arytenoid muscles (lateral = adductors)
List the 6 major anatomic differences between the infant and adult airway.
What cervical and thoracic vertebral landmarks mark the course of the trachea?
C6 –> Sternal angle/T5
During respiration, when are the external intercostal muscles most active?
Inhalation - responsible for 25% of Tv during quiet breathing (diaphragm 70%) - run forward and downward
What structures pass through the diaphragm at T8, T10, T12?
T8 = IVC
T10 = Esophagus
T12 = Aorta, thoracic duct, azygous vein
What is the difference between dynamic and static compliance?
Static compliance = change in volume for a given pressure when there is no air flow.
Dynamic compliance = compliance during a period of air flow - always
What are the two primary factors that affect static lung compliance
How does dynamic lung compliance change with lung volume?
What is the function of surfactant?
it lessens the surface tension, making it less likely that the alveolus will collapse
What size alveolus does surfactant benefit the most and why?
Small alveolus Smaller = greater inward pressure pressure (Law of Laplace)
Surfactant reduces the surface tension on every alveolus, but its effect is greater on small alveoli than on large alveoli.
Thus, surfactant compensates for the size differences between alveoli, and ensures that the smaller alveoli do not readily collapse.
What is the Law of Laplace?
trans-alveolar pressure gradient = inversely proportional to the alveolar radius, and directly proportional to surface tension.
What is the pleural pressure gradient?
difference b/w alveolar pressure and intrapleural pressure of the lungs.
During ventilation, air flows because of this pressure gradient.
For a given pressure, is lung volume greater during inspiration or expiration? (Hysteresis)
Expiration
The difference in compliance is due to the additional energy required during inspiration to recruit and inflate additional alveoli.