Emergency Medicine

Answer 1 In children younger than 10 years, the narrowest portion of the airway is below the vocal cords. The pediatric airway differs from the adult airway in many respects. The airway of a pediatric patient is much smaller than that of an adult. Infants have a relatively large and floppy epiglottis, and children have large tongue relative to the oropharynx. The vocal cords have a lower attachment anteriorly, not a higher attachment. In children younger than 10 years, the narrowest portion of the airway is below the vocal cords at the level of the cricoid cartilage. Endotracheal tube size should, therefore, be selected based on the size of cricoid ring rather than the glottic opening. Click here to return to the questions

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