Upper Airway Obstruction MCQ Quiz | Emergencies

1. A harsh, high-pitched inspiratory sound, known as stridor, in a young child is most commonly associated with obstruction at which level?

2. The classic “thumb sign” on a lateral neck X-ray is pathognomonic for which condition?

3. A “steeple sign” on an anteroposterior (AP) neck X-ray is characteristic of which of the following?

4. A 2-year-old child presents with a sudden onset of choking, coughing, and unilateral wheezing with decreased breath sounds. What is the most likely diagnosis?

5. What is the immediate, first-line pharmacological treatment for upper airway obstruction due to anaphylaxis?

6. The Heimlich maneuver (abdominal thrusts) is the recommended intervention for which of the following scenarios?

7. A rapidly progressing bilateral cellulitis of the submandibular and sublingual spaces, often originating from an infected tooth, is known as:

8. In a patient with severe maxillofacial trauma and inability to intubate orally, what is the definitive method for securing the airway?

9. Angioedema caused by ACE inhibitors is primarily mediated by an excess of which substance?

10. A child presenting with fever, neck stiffness, dysphagia, and a muffled “hot potato” voice should be urgently evaluated for:

11. Biphasic stridor, which is heard during both inspiration and expiration, suggests an obstruction at the level of the:

12. The gold standard for both diagnosis and therapeutic removal of a foreign body in the bronchus is:

13. A child with moderate croup (laryngotracheobronchitis) and stridor at rest should be treated with:

14. In the post-Hib vaccine era, the most common causative organism for acute epiglottitis in adults is:

15. A muffled voice is more characteristic of an obstruction in which region, compared to hoarseness which indicates glottic involvement?

16. An absolute contraindication for an emergency cricothyroidotomy is:

17. Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, a cause of airway obstruction, is most commonly caused by which virus?

18. A common long-term complication of prolonged endotracheal intubation that can lead to upper airway obstruction is:

19. Snoring is a low-pitched inspiratory sound that typically suggests obstruction at the level of the:

20. In the ABCDE assessment of an emergency patient, what is the immediate priority in suspected upper airway obstruction?

21. Bilateral abductor vocal cord paralysis typically presents with:

22. The primary benefit of using a helium-oxygen mixture (Heliox) in severe upper airway obstruction is that it:

23. A needle cricothyroidotomy is a temporizing ‘can’t intubate, can’t ventilate’ procedure that primarily allows for:

24. A patient involved in a fight presents with a “clothesline” injury to the neck. They are hoarse, spitting blood, and have palpable subcutaneous emphysema. The most immediate and serious concern is:

25. Which of the following is the most common cause of inspiratory stridor in infants under 6 months old?