Page 94 - Edited - Webster HEAD AND NECK - part 2-Merge PDF

HN 287

SOME PRACTICAL POINTS

KEW

TWO REASONS FOR KNOWING
ABOUT THE CRICOID CARTILAGE
& HOW TO FIND IT QUICKLY:

A I PREVENTING VOMIT ENTERING
HYPOPHARYNX & ؞ POTENTIALLY
LARYNX OF AN UNCONSCIOUS
PATIENT ( ).
II PERFORMING EMERGENCY
CRICO-THYROTOMY (HN 278)

1
C6

THE CRICOID "PRESS
ME" CARTILAGE

NOTE:
B
1. DISTANCE A - INCISOR
TEETH (GUMS TO
CRICOID CARTILAGE:
ADULT-15cms
NEWBORN < 10cms
These are the minimum DIAPHRAGM
distances/lengths for
tracheal intubation, and the
distances to be negotiated
when clearing an obstruction STOMACH
from the hypopharynx /
laryngeal inlet.

2. DISTANCE B.- LENGTH OF OESOPHAGUS ADULT ~25cms.
MINIMUM LENGTH OF GASTRIC TUBE=A+B= ~ 40cms. Travelling
-1
at ~5cms sec ., in EITHER direction, a peristaltic wave will take ~5 secs.
to clear the oesophagus.

3. PRESSURE ON THE CRICOID CARTILAGE CLOSES THE UPPER
OESOPHAGUS. The cricoid cartilage is a complete ring, & the vertebral
column is immediately behind the oesophagus.