Airway management: Mallampati: 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 · Airway management: Mallampati

Sample item

A Mallampati class IV airway shows which finding when the patient opens the mouth and protrudes the tongue?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Only the hard palate is visible

Mallampati class IV shows only the hard palate and predicts a potentially difficult laryngoscopic view. It is one component of a broader airway assessment.

Option by option

  • A. Soft palate and base of uvula are visible

    This is consistent with class III.

  • B. Only the hard palate is visible (correct)

    Correct. Class IV has the least oropharyngeal visibility.

  • C. Entire uvula with tonsillar pillars is visible

    This is generally class I or II depending on the fauces.

  • D. Soft palate, fauces and uvula are fully visible

    This describes class I.

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.

More Anaesthesia questions

Questions about this Anaesthesia question

What is the answer to this Anaesthesia question?

The best answer is B, Only the hard palate is visible. Mallampati class IV shows only the hard palate and predicts a potentially difficult laryngoscopic view.

Why is "Soft palate and base of uvula are visible" not the answer?

This is consistent with class III.

Why is "Entire uvula with tonsillar pillars is visible" not the answer?

This is generally class I or II depending on the fauces.

Why is "Soft palate, fauces and uvula are fully visible" not the answer?

This describes class I.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Airway management: Mallampati in Anaesthesia. It is one component of a broader airway assessment.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. 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 Airway management: Mallampati?

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.