Question

Which body cavity is accessed while administering nasal drops by tilting the head of the patient back over the edge of the bed? Select all that apply. One, some, or all responses may be correct.

1 Frontal sinus
2 Ethmoid sinus
3 Maxillary sinus
4 Sphenoid sinus
5 Posterior pharynx

Answer 1

When administering nasal drops with the head tilted back, the posterior pharynx and naso-pharynx are primarily accessed, and to a lesser extent, the sphenoid sinus due to its posterior location.

Step-by-step explanation:

When administering nasal drops and tilting the patient's head back over the edge of the bed, the body cavities accessed are primarily the posterior pharynx and potentially the naso-pharynx, which is a region of the pharynx. To a lesser extent, because of the head's position, the nasal drops may also reach the sphenoid sinus due to its posterior location in the body of the sphenoid bone. However, access to the frontal, ethmoid, and maxillary sinuses is more complex and less direct due to their anatomy and position relative to the nasal cavity, as the maxillary sinus drainage is high on their medial wall and often requires a more forward head position to allow gravity to assist in carrying the medication into these sinuses.