Epiglottis: find the swollen leaf

Question 1Where do you place the probe to find the epiglottis?

1. aOver the cricothyroid membrane
2. bBelow the cricoid cartilage
3. cTransverse in the midline, between the hyoid bone and the thyroid cartilage
4. dOver the sternocleidomastoid

Question 2A patient with a sore throat is drooling and has stridor. What do you do?

1. aScan the neck first to confirm
2. bLie the patient flat for a better view
3. cSend them for a CT scan alone
4. dDo not scan: call senior, anaesthetic and ENT help and plan the airway

Question 3Where does the epiglottis lie in relation to the pre-epiglottic fat?

1. aBelow the cricoid
2. bDeep to it
3. cIn front of it
4. dInside the thyroid cartilage

Question 4A stable adult with severe pain on swallowing has a thin, normal-looking epiglottis on ultrasound. What next?

1. aDischarge with reassurance
2. bNo further assessment is needed
3. cENT assessment is still needed, because a normal scan does not exclude epiglottitis
4. dDiagnose tonsillitis

Question 5What can make a normal epiglottis look thick?

1. aToo little gel
2. bColour Doppler
3. cA full stomach
4. dAn oblique probe angle