Sellick's maneuver in airway management is used to reduce the risk of vomiting by collapsing which structure?

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Multiple Choice

Sellick's maneuver in airway management is used to reduce the risk of vomiting by collapsing which structure?

Explanation:
Sellick's maneuver uses firm pressure on the cricoid cartilage to compress the esophagus against the vertebral column, occluding it so regurgitated gastric contents are less likely to reach the pharynx and airway during induction or rapid-sequence intubation. By blocking the esophageal path, the risk of vomiting and aspiration is reduced. The other structures listed (trachea, larynx, pharynx) are part of the airway itself, not the route of regurgitation, so they aren’t the target of this maneuver.

Sellick's maneuver uses firm pressure on the cricoid cartilage to compress the esophagus against the vertebral column, occluding it so regurgitated gastric contents are less likely to reach the pharynx and airway during induction or rapid-sequence intubation. By blocking the esophageal path, the risk of vomiting and aspiration is reduced. The other structures listed (trachea, larynx, pharynx) are part of the airway itself, not the route of regurgitation, so they aren’t the target of this maneuver.

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