An object lodged in the airway above the trachea is considered a(an)

• A. Alveolar obstruction
• B. Lower airway obstruction
• C. Tracheal obstruction
• D. Upper airway obstruction

Answer: (D)

Airway blockages are categorized by where they occur along the airway. An object lodged above the trachea blocks airflow in the upper part of the airway—the nose, mouth, pharynx, and larynx. That location defines an upper airway obstruction because it sits before the trachea and air must pass through these structures first. If the blockage were in the trachea or deeper (lower airways) or in the gas-exchange areas like the alveoli, we’d be talking about lower airway or alveolar problems instead. So why this is upper airway obstruction: the foreign body is in the structures above the trachea, directly impeding the initial passage of air.