Question

A patient has had oral cancer and has to breathe through a tracheostomy rather than their mouth. How will this impact the diffusion of oxygen to the blood?

a. It will increase
b. It will decrease
c. It will not change

Answer 1

Breathing through a tracheostomy instead of the mouth would decrease the rate of diffusion of oxygen into the blood.

Step-by-step explanation:

b. It would decrease the rate of diffusion into the blood because it increases the difference between the partial pressures of the air and blood.