What respiratory evaluation outcome can be expected in a patient with extra thoracic foreign body obstruction?

In the case of extra thoracic foreign body obstruction, the expected respiratory evaluation outcome is impaired inspiration. This occurs because the obstruction affects the upper airway, which is primarily responsible for allowing air to enter the lungs during inhalation. When a foreign body obstructs this area, it can create a blockage that makes it difficult for air to move into the trachea and subsequently the lungs during inspiration.

Patients may exhibit stridor, a high-pitched wheezing sound typically indicative of upper airway obstruction, primarily during inhalation as they struggle to draw air in. This contrasts with conditions involving obstruction lower in the respiratory tract, where expiratory limitations would be more pronounced. Therefore, the characteristic feature of extra thoracic obstruction is that it impacts the ability to take a full breath in, resulting in impaired inspiration.

Normal respiratory function would not align with an obstruction scenario, as some level of respiratory distress would be expected. Similarly, impaired expiration is more associated with intrathoracic issues, while wheezing on exhalation usually indicates bronchial constriction or lower airway problems, not upper airway obstruction.