Airway

The path air follows to get into and out of the lungs. The mouth and nose are the normal entry and exit ports. Entering air then passes through the back of the throat (pharynx), continues through the voice box (larynx), down the trachea, and finally out the branching tubes known as bronchi.

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1. Any part of the respiratory tract through which air passes during breathing. 2. In anesthesia or resuscitation, a device for correcting obstruction to breathing, especially an oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal a., endotracheal a., or tracheotomy tube.

- anatomic a. SYN: anatomic dead space.

- conducting a. the a. from the nasal cavity to a terminal bronchiole.

- Guedel a. oropharyngeal a. used to ensure a. patency during general anesthesia.

- lower a. the portion of the respiratory tract that extends from the subglottis to and including the terminal bronchioles.

- neurogenic a. upper-a. obstruction due to abnormal muscle tone in the upper a.; found in patients with severe developmental delay or brain injury, and especially in those with spastic quadriplegia.

- respiratory a. that part of the a. where interchange of gases occurs; it includes respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, sacs, and alveoli.

- upper a. the portion of the respiratory tract that extends from the nares or mouth to and including the larynx.

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air·way -.wā n a passageway for air into or out of the lungs specif a device passed into the trachea by way of the mouth or nose or through an incision to maintain a clear respiratory passageway (as during anesthesia, convulsions, or in obstructive laryngitis) see upper airway

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air·way (ārґwa) 1. the route for passage of air into and out of the lungs; see also respiratory system, under system. 2. a device for securing unobstructed passage of air into and out of the lungs during general anesthesia or when the patient is not ventilating properly.