In airway terms, what does 'patent' mean?

• A. Open And Unobstructed
• B. Blocked
• C. Narrow
• D. Obstructed

Answer: (A)

Patency in airway terms means the airway is open and unobstructed; air can pass through with minimal resistance. This is the state clinicians aim for because it lets effective ventilation occur. When an airway is patent, you can breathe normally, speak, and cough without obstruction. The other terms describe sharing some blockage or narrowing, which increases resistance or reduces airflow, but they do not convey the open, clear passage that patency represents. In practice, if the airway isn’t patent, you’d take steps to open or clear it—positioning, suction, or airway adjuncts—to restore unobstructed airflow.