What sound is heard when air passes through moist secretions in the airway?

The sound heard when air passes through moist secretions in the airway is gurgling. This sound typically occurs when mucus or other fluids obstruct the airway, causing the air to move and create a bubbling or gurgling noise as it passes through these secretions. It is often associated with conditions like aspiration of fluids, pulmonary edema, or when a patient is having difficulty clearing secretions.

Wheezing is a high-pitched sound usually associated with narrowed airways, such as during an asthma attack. Stridor is a harsher sound produced by obstruction in the upper airway, often indicative of a serious condition requiring immediate intervention. Hissing is a more general term that doesn't specifically pertain to sounds made by secretions in the airway. Understanding these distinctions helps clarify why gurgling is the appropriate sound to identify in this context.