During airway management, you should suction the oropharynx for up to how many seconds?

• A. 5 seconds.
• B. 10 seconds.
• C. 15 seconds.
• D. 20 seconds.

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is that suctioning the oropharynx during airway management should be brief to clear secretions without sacrificing oxygenation. Limiting suction time to about 15 seconds provides enough effort to remove secretions or vomitus and improve airway patency, while staying short enough to minimize desaturation, mucosal injury, and potential vagal responses. If secretions remain after a 15-second pass, you pause to reassess and pre-oxygenate again before suctioning briefly another interval. Suctioning for only a few seconds (like 5) or extending beyond 20 seconds increases the risk of hypoxia and airway irritation, respectively, which is why 15 seconds is the practical maximum in this context.