Difficult airway: oxygenation: practice question

A Anaesthesia question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anaesthesia · Difficult airway: oxygenation

Sample item

After induction, repeated intubation attempts are unsuccessful and mask ventilation is becoming ineffective. According to difficult-airway principles, what overarching priority should drive the next action?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Restore and maintain oxygenation

Difficult-airway algorithms prioritize oxygenation and limiting harmful repeated attempts. Early help, use of an appropriate rescue oxygenation technique, and progression through a planned pathway are safer than fixation on intubation alone.

Option by option

  • A. Restore and maintain oxygenation (correct)

    Correct. Preventing hypoxemia is the immediate life-preserving goal.

  • B. Continue attempts until the view improves

    Repeated attempts can cause trauma, edema, and worsening oxygenation.

  • C. Administer more hypnotic drug

    More hypnotic drug does not solve an airway obstruction or failed oxygenation problem.

  • D. Wait for spontaneous recovery without calling for help

    Delaying rescue and assistance is unsafe in a deteriorating airway.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Anaesthesia question

What is the answer to this Anaesthesia question?

The best answer is A, Restore and maintain oxygenation. Difficult-airway algorithms prioritize oxygenation and limiting harmful repeated attempts.

Why is "Continue attempts until the view improves" not the answer?

Repeated attempts can cause trauma, edema, and worsening oxygenation.

Why is "Administer more hypnotic drug" not the answer?

More hypnotic drug does not solve an airway obstruction or failed oxygenation problem.

Why is "Wait for spontaneous recovery without calling for help" not the answer?

Delaying rescue and assistance is unsafe in a deteriorating airway.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Difficult airway: oxygenation in Anaesthesia. Early help, use of an appropriate rescue oxygenation technique, and progression through a planned pathway are safer than fixation on intubation alone.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Difficult airway: oxygenation?

Make a table of each agent, its key advantage and its main side effect. Then use the flashcards and the other Anaesthesia questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.