Question 1

A finger sweep should only be performed on an adult patient if they are unconscious.

Accepted Answer

A finger sweep is recommended only if an unconscious adult patient has a visible obstruction in the mouth or throat, as performing it on a conscious person can cause further harm or induce gagging.

Question 2

Why is airway obstruction a potential danger associated with dental treatments?

Accepted Answer

When a patient is in a reclined position, the tongue can fall back and obstruct the airway, especially if the patient is sedated or has difficulty swallowing. This is why it is important for dental professionals to monitor their patient's airway and breathing during treatments. Options A and B may be potential factors in increasing a patient's risk, but they do not directly relate to airway obstruction. Option D may be a concern for anaphylaxis, but it is not the primary reason for airway obstruction.

Question 3

Why is it important to continue the Heimlich maneuver after the patient loses consciousness?

Accepted Answer

D

Question 4

The Heimlich maneuver requires manual thrusts, which _____.

Accepted Answer

The Heimlich maneuver works by forcing air from the lungs through the trachea, which helps dislodge an object blocking the airway.

Question 5

How should an abdominal thrust be administered?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How should an abdominal thrust be administered?
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Question 6

What is the universal distress signal to indicate complete airway obstruction?

Accepted Answer

Clutching the throat with hands is the universal distress signal for complete airway obstruction. It indicates that the person is unable to breathe and needs immediate assistance. The other choices may also be present in someone experiencing airway obstruction, but they are not the universal distress signal.

Question 7

If a patient experiences a complete airway obstruction, and their airway is not cleared within ____ minutes, then irreversible brain damage or death may occur.

Accepted Answer

If a patient experiences a complete airway obstruction, then their brain does not receive oxygen. Brain cells can start to die within 4-6 minutes without oxygen, so immediate action must be taken to remove the obstruction and restore breathing. Waiting for 8-18 minutes could result in irreversible brain damage or death.

Question 8

When performing the Heimlich maneuver, what additional step must be taken with an unconscious patient?

Accepted Answer

When an unconscious patient is choking, mouth-to-mouth ventilation is necessary to provide oxygen to the brain.

Question 9

When administering chest thrusts, it is important to place the hands over the xiphoid process.

Accepted Answer

Chest thrusts should be administered by placing the hands in the center of the chest between the nipples, not over the xiphoid process. Placing the hands over the xiphoid process can cause injury to the liver or other organs.

Question 10

The Heimlich maneuver is not recommended for a patient experiencing a partial obstruction with adequate air exchange.

Accepted Answer

The Heimlich maneuver is only recommended for a complete airway obstruction or choking when the patient is unable to breathe or speak, and not for partial obstruction with adequate air exchange. In such cases, other interventions such as encouraging the patient to cough, administering oxygen or performing chest thrusts may be sufficient.

Question 11

What is the biggest risk associated with a finger sweep?

Accepted Answer

The biggest risk associated with a finger sweep is that the object causing the obstruction may be pushed farther down the throat, making the situation worse. It is recommended to only use a finger sweep on unconscious patients with a visible object blocking the airway, and should be done with extreme caution. Other methods, such as abdominal thrusts and back blows, should be attempted first before resorting to a finger sweep.

Question 12

The mouth and nose first empty into a common passage called the ____.

Accepted Answer

The pharynx is the common passage that receives air from the nose and mouth and leads to both the trachea (for air) and the esophagus (for food and liquid). The larynx is located below the pharynx and is part of the airway.

Question 13

When performing the Heimlich maneuver on an infant, if an object is not removed after performing the initial manual thrusts, what should be done next?

Accepted Answer

If the initial manual thrusts do not remove the object, the infant should be placed on their stomach and back blows should be applied to help dislodge the object.

Question 14

How should an unconscious patient be positioned during the Heimlich maneuver?

Accepted Answer

When a patient is unconscious, the Heimlich maneuver is performed with the patient in a supine position. This allows the rescuer to apply pressure on the abdomen by placing a fist just above the navel and pushing inward and upward.

Question 15

If the Heimlich maneuver is unsuccessful, a tracheotomy should be performed.

Accepted Answer

If the Heimlich maneuver is unsuccessful, other emergency measures such as calling for medical assistance or performing CPR may be necessary. A tracheotomy should only be performed by trained medical professionals and typically under more controlled circumstances in a hospital or clinical setting.

Question 16

While performing a dental procedure, Dr. Stevens drops a dental dam clamp into a patient's mouth. The patient makes a crowing noise and shows signs of cyanosis around the mouth. What type of obstruction is the patient experiencing?

Accepted Answer

The crowing noise and cyanosis indicate that the patient is experiencing a partial obstruction with inadequate air exchange, as there is some airflow but not enough to maintain adequate oxygenation.

Question 17

When performing an abdominal thrust on a conscious patient, place the thumb of the fist against the patient halfway between the ____ and the ____.

Accepted Answer

The correct hand placement for an abdominal thrust (Heimlich maneuver) on a conscious patient is placing the thumb side of your fist against the patient's abdomen midway between the navel and the lower end of the sternum (not the rib cage). This maximizes the pressure on the diaphragm to force air out of the lungs and expel the obstructing object. The pressure should not be applied over the rib cage or pelvis as it may cause injury. Placing the thumb in other areas such as the pharynx is incorrect and may cause further harm.

Question 18

What tool should be used to prevent an airway obstruction during a tooth extraction?

Accepted Answer

A throat pack is used to prevent airway obstruction by blocking debris from entering the throat during dental procedures like tooth extraction.

Question 19

While performing the Heimlich maneuver manual thrusts should be administered as ____ thrusts; or alternatively as ____ thrusts for obese or pregnant patients.

Accepted Answer

Abdominal thrusts are recommended for general use, but for obese or pregnant patients, chest thrusts are advised as they are safer and more effective in these cases.

Question 20

When food is swallowed, it is kept out of the esophagus by the epiglottis; a flap that covers the opening of the trachea whenever food approaches.

Accepted Answer

The epiglottis covers the opening of the trachea (windpipe) to prevent food from entering the airways, not the esophagus. Food is supposed to enter the esophagus when swallowed.

Quiz 10: Airway Obstruction