In the LEMON airway assessment, what does the 'Evaluate' component refer to?

• A. Look externally
• B. Evaluate (3-3-2) for oral cavity spacing
• C. Mallampati score
• D. Obstruction of airway

Answer: (B)

Evaluate in the LEMON airway assessment is about quantifying oral cavity space using the 3-3-2 rule. It looks at three measurements: mouth opening (the distance between the upper and lower incisors with the mouth opened should be about three fingerbreadths), the hyomental distance (the distance from the mentum to the hyoid should be about three fingerbreadths), and the space behind the tongue (roughly two fingerbreadths between the tongue and the posterior pharyngeal wall). These measurements help predict how easily a laryngoscope blade and airway devices can be positioned; if any of these are reduced, there’s a higher risk of a difficult airway. The other elements—looking externally, Mallampati score, and checking for obstruction—are separate parts of the assessment, not the Evaluate portion.