Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse (CPAN) Practice Exam

What characteristic indicates a properly placed laryngeal mask airway (LMA)?

1. Passes through the glottic opening

2. Conforms to the hypopharynx

3. Prevents aspiration

4. Prevents laryngospasm

The correct answer is: Conforms to the hypopharynx

A properly placed laryngeal mask airway (LMA) should conform to the hypopharynx. This characteristic is crucial as the LMA is designed to create a seal around the laryngeal inlet, ensuring that the airway is adequately secured and that ventilation is possible without entering the trachea directly. When an LMA fits well, it allows for effective ventilation while minimizing the risk of airway obstruction and aspiration. Conformation to the hypopharynx indicates that the device is positioned correctly, maintaining a strategic placement that helps in achieving proper airway management during anesthesia or emergency situations. This seal helps provide effective positive pressure ventilation, which is essential in many clinical contexts. The other options focus on different aspects of airway management but do not directly indicate the proper placement of an LMA. While preventing aspiration and laryngospasm are important properties of an effective airway management strategy, they do not directly reflect the characteristic of how the LMA itself should be situated within the patient's anatomy. The specific conforming nature of the LMA to the hypopharynx is what ensures its efficacy in establishing a secure airway.