Airway management: retrograde intubation: 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.

Try it

Anaesthesia · Airway management: retrograde intubation

Sample item

In a patient with a fixed cervical spine deformity who cannot be intubated by direct laryngoscopy, a guidewire is passed through the cricothyroid membrane, up through the larynx and out of the mouth, and a tube is railroaded over it. Which technique is this?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Retrograde intubation

In retrograde intubation a needle punctures the cricothyroid membrane, a guidewire is threaded upwards to emerge from the mouth or nose, and a tube is passed over the wire. It is used as a rescue technique when fibreoptic equipment is unavailable.

Option by option

  • A. Bougie-assisted intubation

    A bougie is passed from above through the glottis under direct view.

  • B. Lightwand-guided intubation

    A lightwand uses transillumination of the neck to guide the tube.

  • C. Blind nasal intubation

    Blind nasal intubation is performed by feel through the nose without a wire.

  • D. Retrograde intubation (correct)

    Correct. A wire passed in the retrograde direction guides the tube.

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 D, Retrograde intubation. In retrograde intubation a needle punctures the cricothyroid membrane, a guidewire is threaded upwards to emerge from the mouth or nose, and a tube is passed over the wire.

Why is "Bougie-assisted intubation" not the answer?

A bougie is passed from above through the glottis under direct view.

Why is "Lightwand-guided intubation" not the answer?

A lightwand uses transillumination of the neck to guide the tube.

Why is "Blind nasal intubation" not the answer?

Blind nasal intubation is performed by feel through the nose without a wire.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Airway management: retrograde intubation in Anaesthesia. It is used as a rescue technique when fibreoptic equipment is unavailable.

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: retrograde intubation?

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.