Airway management: lung isolation in a child: 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: lung isolation in a child

Sample item

A 5-year-old needs lung isolation for thoracoscopic surgery, but even the smallest double-lumen tube is too large. Which device is suitable?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Bronchial blocker

A bronchial blocker, such as an Arndt or Fogarty catheter, passed alongside or through a single-lumen tube, allows lung isolation in children too small for a double-lumen tube. Supraglottic devices cannot isolate a lung.

Option by option

  • A. Laryngeal mask airway

    A laryngeal mask cannot isolate a lung.

  • B. Smallest adult double-lumen tube

    The smallest adult double-lumen tube is still too large for the child's airway.

  • C. Combitube

    A Combitube is an emergency device and not for lung isolation.

  • D. Bronchial blocker (correct)

    Correct. A bronchial blocker allows isolation through a standard small 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.

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Questions about this Anaesthesia question

What is the answer to this Anaesthesia question?

The best answer is D, Bronchial blocker. A bronchial blocker, such as an Arndt or Fogarty catheter, passed alongside or through a single-lumen tube, allows lung isolation in children too small for a double-lumen tube.

Why is "Laryngeal mask airway" not the answer?

A laryngeal mask cannot isolate a lung.

Why is "Smallest adult double-lumen tube" not the answer?

The smallest adult double-lumen tube is still too large for the child's airway.

Why is "Combitube" not the answer?

A Combitube is an emergency device and not for lung isolation.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Airway management: lung isolation in a child in Anaesthesia. Supraglottic devices cannot isolate a lung.

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: lung isolation in a child?

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.