Airway anatomy, equipment, and airway management: curriculum recognition: 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 anatomy, equipment, and airway management: curriculum recognition

Sample item

When a laryngoscope blade touches the posterior pharyngeal wall, the patient gags. Which cranial nerve carries the afferent limb of this reflex?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Glossopharyngeal nerve

The glossopharyngeal nerve supplies sensation to the posterior tongue, tonsil and pharyngeal wall and is the afferent limb of the gag reflex. The vagus nerve forms the efferent limb. Absent gag is why an oropharyngeal airway is tolerated only in deeply unconscious patients.

Option by option

  • A. Glossopharyngeal nerve (correct)

    Correct. Sensation from the posterior pharyngeal wall travels in cranial nerve IX.

  • B. Vagus nerve

    The vagus carries the motor (efferent) limb of the gag reflex.

  • C. Trigeminal nerve

    The trigeminal nerve supplies the face and anterior two thirds of the oral mucosa, not the pharyngeal wall.

  • D. Hypoglossal nerve

    The hypoglossal nerve is purely motor to the tongue.

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, Glossopharyngeal nerve. The glossopharyngeal nerve supplies sensation to the posterior tongue, tonsil and pharyngeal wall and is the afferent limb of the gag reflex.

Why is "Vagus nerve" not the answer?

The vagus carries the motor (efferent) limb of the gag reflex.

Why is "Trigeminal nerve" not the answer?

The trigeminal nerve supplies the face and anterior two thirds of the oral mucosa, not the pharyngeal wall.

Why is "Hypoglossal nerve" not the answer?

The hypoglossal nerve is purely motor to the tongue.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Airway anatomy, equipment, and airway management: curriculum recognition in Anaesthesia. The vagus nerve forms the efferent limb. Absent gag is why an oropharyngeal airway is tolerated only in deeply unconscious patients.

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 anatomy, equipment, and airway management: curriculum recognition?

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.