NCLEX-PN › Upper Respiratory Tract
What structure is directly posterior to the trachea?
The esophagus
The cervical spine
The thyroid gland
The pharynx
The esophagus is directly posterior to the trachea, and the cervical spine is posterior to the esophagus. The thyroid gland is anterior to the trachea. The pharynx is superior to both the trachea and the esophagus.
Which of the following is not a division of the pharynx?
The sinopharynx
The nasopharynx
The oropharynx
The laryngopharynx
The pharynx is made up of three divisions: the laryngopharynx, the oropharynx, and the nasopharynx. There is no portion of the pharynx called the sinopharynx.
Which of the following pairs of sinus is absent at birth, and is not fully developed until puberty?
The frontal sinus
The ethmoid sinus
The maxillary sinus
The sphenoid sinus
The frontal sinuses are not present at birth. They begin to develop in the first few years of life, but they are not fully mature until after adolescence. The sphenoid, maxillary, and ethmoid sinuses are present at birth, though they are underdeveloped and similarly do not mature fully till late childhood or adolescence.
What chamber of the upper respiratory tract is shared by both the respiratory and digestive systems?
The pharynx
The sinuses
The esophagus
The soft palate
The only chamber of the upper respiratory tract that is shared by both the respiratory and the digestive systems is the pharynx. The pharynx is the part of the throat that is immediately posterior to the mouth and the nasal cavity, and superior to the trachea, larynx, and esophagus.
Which of the following is a flap of cartilage that covers the opening of the windpipe during swallowing to prevent aspiration?
The epiglottis
The hyoid
The tracheal cartilage
The cricoid cartilage
The small flap of cartilage that covers the windpipe to prevent aspiration during swallowing is the epiglottis. It is located at the base of the tongue and attached to the entrance of the larynx.
Which of the following maintains the lumen of the trachea?
The tracheal cartilages
The infrahyoid muscles
The cervical spine
Air pressure within the respiratory tract
The lumen of the trachea is maintained by the tracheal cartilages, a set of approximately 20 separate c-shaped rings of hyaline cartilage. The non-continuous cartilage allows for greater flexibility during inspiration and expiration.
Which of the following best describes the epithelium of the trachea?
Pseudostratified columnar cells with cilia and goblet cells.
Transitional cells with cilia and goblet cells.
Stratified squamous epithelium with cilia and goblet cells.
Cuboidal epithelium with cilia and goblet cells.
The epithelium of the trachea is made up of pseudostratified columnar cells with cilia and goblet cells.
What does the trachea bifurcate into?
Left and right primary bronchi
Left and right secondary bronchi
Left and right primary bronchioles
Left and right secondary bronchioles
The trachea bifurcates into the left and right primary bronchi. This occurs at a location called the carina, which is at the level of T4-T5.
A nurse is about to perform an upper respiratory exam on a patient with sinusitis. Which of the following sinuses are inaccessible for assessment by physical exam due to their placement deep within the skull?
The ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses
The frontal and ethmoid sinuses
The maxillary and frontal sinuses
The maxillary and sphenoid sinuses
The only sinuses that can be assessed on physical exam are the frontal and maxillary sinuses. The sphenoid and ethmoid sinuses are too deep in the skull to be assessed via physical examination.