FCPS IMM Anesthesia Airway Management MCQs: High-Yield Practice Questions & Prep

Airway Management is one of the subject blocks in the FCPS IMM Anesthesia QBank. It covers airway assessment, laryngoscopy, difficult airway algorithms, supraglottic devices and extubation. Below is a sample set in the style of the bank, with the reasoning after each answer.

Sample MCQs

1. A patient in the ICU with an endotracheal tube now needs a tracheostomy tube. Which type of tube will you use?

• A) Uncuffed tracheostomy tube
• B) Cuffed tracheostomy tube ✅
• C) Metallic tracheostomy tube.
• D) Endotracheal tube

Why: When a patient in the ICU requires a tracheostomy tube, the preferred choice is a cuffed tracheostomy tube. A cuffed tracheostomy tube has an inflatable cuff that helps to create a seal between the tube and the tracheal wall.

2. While performing panretinal photocoagulation for diabetic retinopathy in an elderly male patient, the patient's airway caught sudden fire. All of the following steps can be done in the immediate management of this airway fire except

• A) Continue ventilation ✅
• B) Flood area with 0.9% saline
• C) Stop using laser
• D) Remove the tube and extinguish in water

Why: Panretinal photocoagulation done for Diabetic retinopathy is a type of photocoagulation laser . Laser beams used in surgery may cause ignition of tissues and equipment in the presence of combustible gasses such as oxygen and nitrous oxide.

3. A 55-year-old male is found unresponsive and without a pulse. Emergency responders are activated, and advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) protocols are initiated. Which of the following steps should be prioritized immediately after confirming cardiac arrest?

• A) Administer epinephrine (1 mg every 3-5 minutes)
• B) Ensure proper airway management using bag-mask ventilation
• C) Initiate high-quality chest compressions at a rate of 100-120 per minute ✅
• D) Deploy an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

Why: Initiate high-quality chest compressions at a rate of 100-120 per minute : High-quality chest compressions should be started immediately after confirming cardiac arrest to improve chances of survival.

4. A 36-year-old with a suspected cervical spine injury is brought to the emergency department in respiratory distress, requiring urgent intubation. Which of the following endotracheal tubes is preferred for this patient?

• A) Armored endotracheal tube ✅
• B) Double-lumen endotracheal tube
• C) Cuffed endotracheal tube
• D) Uncuffed endotracheal tube

Why: In adult patients with suspected cervical spine injuries, armoured endotracheal tubes are preferred due to their spiral metal reinforcement, which resists kinking and provides greater flexibility.

5. A 45-year-old obese female has been experiencing excessive vaginal bleeding for two months, and an ultrasound revealed uterine fibroids. She is scheduled for a hysterectomy. What is the preferred position for laryngoscopy in this case?

• A) Sniffing position
• B) Rose position
• C) Lithotomy position
• D) Ramped position ✅

Why: The preferred position for intubation in obese patients is referred to as the Ramped Position , in which the patient's head, neck, and shoulders are elevated with pillows or padding, aligning the external auditory meatus with the sternal notch.

6. A 38-year-old male is being taken up for emergency surgery following a trauma. The anesthesiologist decides to give medications as prophylaxis for aspiration. Which of the following drugs is not used as a prophylactic agent?

• A) Bicitra
• B) Metoclopramide
• C) H2-antagonists
• D) Rocuronium ✅

Why: Rocuronium is an intermediate-acting nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking drug that acts as a muscle relaxant that helps in faster and more efficient intubation.

7. Which of the following is not a clear benefit of using high-pressure oxygen via nasal cannula?

• A) Decreases the need of intubation ✅
• B) Reduces nasopharyngeal dead space
• C) Heating and humidification
• D) PEEP

Why: High-flow oxygen therapy delivered via nasal cannula, also known as high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy, has several benefits, but it does not necessarily decrease the need for intubation in all cases.

8. What is the most likely cause of a young patient experiencing desaturation and bilateral basal crepitations shortly after undergoing surgery with general anesthesia using O2, Nitrous oxide, and Desflurane?

• A) ARDS
• B) Pleural effusion
• C) Negative pressure pulmonary oedema ✅
• D) Atelectasis

Why: In the above given case, the patient desaturates right after extubation and upon auscultation presents with bilateral basal crepitations.

9. A patient undergoing general anesthesia develops left lung collapse following intubation. On auscultation, breath sounds are heard only on the right side. What is the most likely cause of this condition?

• A) Right endobronchial intubation ✅
• B) Mucus secretions obstructing the endotracheal tube
• C) Pneumothorax on the left side due to positive pressure ventilation
• D) Bronchospasm

Why: The physical finding of breath sounds heard only on the right side with absence on the left strongly supports this diagnosis of right endobronchial intubation (right mainstem intubation) .

10. Which of the following airway devices helps maintain Fio2 of 24 - 60%, irrespective of the patient's breathing effort?

• A) Nasal cannula
• B) Simple face mask
• C) Venturi mask ✅
• D) Non-rebreathing mask

Why: The venturi mask, or air entrainment mask, is a medical device that delivers a known oxygen concentration to patients on controlled oxygen therapy.

How to Study This Block

• Know the predictors of a difficult airway and what each score measures.
• Learn the sequence of a difficult-airway plan and when to call for surgical access.
• Revise the sizes and indications of airway devices.

Each subject in the QBank can be filtered on its own, so you can drill airway management until your accuracy is stable. Confirm the exam format and syllabus against the current CPSP guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are airway algorithms tested?

Yes, usually as a short scenario asking for the next step.

Does it cover paediatric airway?

Selected anatomical differences are covered under paediatric anaesthesia.

Practise With the Full QBank

The FCPS IMM Anesthesia QBank has a free trial batch in Tutor mode, subject filters and Timed mode. Related: complete exam guide, how to use recalls.