Question:

Murphy's eye is seen in which device?

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It is a side vent hole near the tip of an airway tube that prevents total occlusion.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
  • Macintosh laryngoscope
  • Endotracheal tube
  • LMA
  • Flexible laryngoscope
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Recall the structure of a standard endotracheal tube (ETT). Besides the main bevelled distal opening, most ETTs carry a small extra hole on the side wall near the tip. This side hole is called the Murphy eye.

Step 2: Understand its purpose. If the main distal opening becomes blocked, for example by pressing against the tracheal wall, secretions, or a clot, the Murphy eye acts as a vent so gas can still pass. This prevents complete airway obstruction.

Step 3: Eliminate the distractors. A Macintosh laryngoscope (option a) is a curved blade used to lift the epiglottis indirectly and has no such hole. An LMA (option c) is a supraglottic airway with a mask cuff, not an ETT side vent. A flexible laryngoscope (option d) is a viewing instrument. Hence the Murphy eye belongs to the endotracheal tube.
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