Word parts
What it means
The muscles of the larynx (voice box) clamp shut by reflex. It is most often seen as a client wakes from anesthesia, especially after the breathing tube is removed, and with secretions or blood in the throat. It can also happen with very low calcium. A partly closed airway makes a high-pitched sound (stridorSTRY-derA high-pitched, harsh sound made while breathing, usually heard when breathing in.Full entry ); a fully closed one makes no sound at all.
For the nurse
In the recovery area, watch for stridor, struggling to breathe and a falling oxygen saturation after extubation, and call for help at once. Anesthesia staff treat it with jaw thrust, positive-pressure oxygen and, if needed, drugs. Have suction and airway equipment at the bedside.
At a glance
| Spanish | laringoespasmo |
|---|---|
| Also written | laryngospasms |
Related terms
stridor
A high-pitched, harsh sound made while breathing, usually heard when breathing in.
anesthesia
Loss of feeling or sensation, often brought on by drugs so that surgery or a procedure can be done without pain.
airway
The passages that carry air into and out of the lungs, from the nose and mouth to the smallest air tubes.