The Difficult Airway

<< BackNext >>
Anatomical Differences

  • Larger tongue in proportion to their mouth
  • Larger head which when placed supine causes flexion
  • Narrower nasal passages
  • Larynx is anterior and cephalic in the neck (area of C3-C4)
  • Epiglottis is shorter and omega shaped
  • Vocal cords slant upwards
  • Larynx is shaped like a funnel (cone shaped) with the narrowest part being the cricoid ring
  • Airway is softer and more pliable

Any flexion or extension of the head may result in displacement of the endotracheal tube [2, 5, 6]

<< BackNext >>