Resident Manual of Trauma to the Face, Head and Neck

Chapter 10: Foreign Bodies and Caustic Ingestion Whitney A. Pafford, MD

I. Anatomy A. Upper Airway

Foreign body aspiration and caustic ingestion can be life-threatening emergencies. Rapid recognition, work-up, and treatment reduce the risk of complications and associated morbidity and mortality. Given the importance of endoscopy in these patients, a general understanding of the upper aerodigestive anatomy is critical in their management. y y Nares. y y Nasopharynx.

y y Oral cavity. y y Oropharynx. y y Larynx. B. Lower Airway

The trachea begins immediately inferior to the cricoid cartilage. It bifurcates into the right and left mainstem bronchi (Figure 10.1).

Figure 10.1 Tracheobronchial anatomy. Source: Myers and Carreau, Figure 67-1.

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Resident Manual of Trauma to the Face, Head, and Neck