Airway assessment: LEMON: 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 assessment: LEMON

Sample item

In the LEMON method of predicting a difficult airway, what does the letter E stand for?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Evaluate the 3-3-2 rule

LEMON stands for Look externally, Evaluate 3-3-2, Mallampati, Obstruction and Neck mobility. The 3-3-2 rule checks mouth opening of three fingers, mentum to hyoid of three fingers, and hyoid to thyroid notch of two fingers.

Option by option

  • A. Evaluate the 3-3-2 rule (correct)

    Correct. E is for evaluating the 3-3-2 rule.

  • B. Estimate the endotracheal tube size

    Tube size is not part of airway prediction.

  • C. Elevate the shoulders

    Shoulder elevation is a positioning manoeuvre, not part of LEMON.

  • D. Examine the epiglottis

    The epiglottis cannot be examined at the bedside in this scheme.

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, Evaluate the 3-3-2 rule. LEMON stands for Look externally, Evaluate 3-3-2, Mallampati, Obstruction and Neck mobility.

Why is "Estimate the endotracheal tube size" not the answer?

Tube size is not part of airway prediction.

Why is "Elevate the shoulders" not the answer?

Shoulder elevation is a positioning manoeuvre, not part of LEMON.

Why is "Examine the epiglottis" not the answer?

The epiglottis cannot be examined at the bedside in this scheme.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Airway assessment: LEMON in Anaesthesia. The 3-3-2 rule checks mouth opening of three fingers, mentum to hyoid of three fingers, and hyoid to thyroid notch of two fingers.

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 assessment: LEMON?

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.