Question

All are definitive airways except?

• A. Nasotracheal tube
• B. Orotracheal tube
• C. Laryngeal mask airway (LMA)
• D. Cricothyroidotomy

Hint:

A definitive airway needs a cuffed tube inside the trachea; supraglottic devices do not count.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Define a definitive airway.
A definitive airway is a cuffed tube placed in the trachea, secured in position, and connected to an oxygen-enriched assisted ventilation source. The cuff sitting below the vocal cords protects against aspiration.

Step 2: Apply the definition to each option.
A nasotracheal tube and an orotracheal (endotracheal) tube are both cuffed tubes that sit within the trachea, so both are definitive airways. A surgical cricothyroidotomy places a tube directly into the trachea through the cricothyroid membrane and is also a definitive airway.

Step 3: Identify the exception.
The laryngeal mask airway sits in the hypopharynx over the laryngeal inlet. It does not enter the trachea and its cuff does not lie below the cords, so it does not reliably protect against aspiration. The LMA is a supraglottic (rescue) device, not a definitive airway.

Step 4: Conclusion.
The LMA is the only listed device that is not a definitive airway.

Correct answer: LMA.