A prospective, blinded comparison of clinical examination and computed tomography in deep neck infections.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To determine whether there is a scientific basis for the routine use of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) in the evaluation of suspected deep neck infection (DNI). STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a prospective, blinded comparison of clinical examination and CECT in DNI. METHODS: Thirty-five consecutive patients with suspected DNI were prospectively assessed by clinical examination and CECT for the presence and extent of surgically drainable purulent collections. Before CECT a surgeon recorded clinical data and predicted the extent of infection. A head and neck neuroradiologist, blinded to the clinical evaluation, predicted the extent of infection based on CECT. Final outcome (the presence of a purulent collection) was determined at surgery or in long-term follow-up. The clinical and CECT findings were compared with the final outcome to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of each modality. RESULTS: Twenty patients had purulent drainable collections. The accuracy of clinical examination alone in identifying a drainable collection was 63%, the sensitivity was 55%, and the specificity was 73%. The accuracy of CECT alone was 77%, the sensitivity was 95%, and the specificity 53%. When CECT and clinical examination were combined, the accuracy in identifying a drainable collection was 89%, the sensitivity was 95%, and the specificity 80%. If fluid collections with volumes of 2 mL or greater on CECT were considered, the accuracy of CECT would have been 85%, the sensitivity 89%, and the specificity 80%. CONCLUSION: CECT and clinical examination are both critical components in the evaluation of suspected DNI.

Malignant hyperthermia involving the administration of desflurane.

PURPOSE: This report describes an episode of malignant hyperthermia (MH) in a ten year old boy receiving desflurane anaesthesia. CLINICAL FEATURES: Following induction of general endotracheal anaesthesia with thiopentone and succinylcholine, desflurane was administered for maintenance of anaesthesia. Ten minutes after commencing desflurane administration, heart rate and PETCO2 increased to 165 bpm and 50 mmHg, respectively. Initially, the tachycardia was attributed to a sympathetic response secondary to desflurane. Desflurane was discontinued and isoflurane was started. Minute ventilation was increased to decrease PETCO2. Over the next five minutes, temperature increased to 38.4 degrees C as the PETCO2 increased to above 60 mmHg. Venous and arterial blood gases were drawn which showed acidosis and hypercapnia. Temperature and PETCO2 continued to increase, reaching peak values of 41 degrees C and 77 mmHg, respectively. Efforts to cool the patient were made. A total of 220 mg dantrolene sodium was administered iv. Following dantrolene, the temperature increase and acidosis subsided. Heart rate and PETCO2 decreased to 130 bpm and 36 mmHg, respectively. The surgical procedure was expeditiously performed. Postoperatively, in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, a dantrolene infusion of 20 mg.hr-1 was administered for 12 hr. The trachea was extubated the following morning. Several days later, the patient underwent another surgical procedure without complications using MH-safe anaesthetics. CONCLUSION: Onset of tachycardia in a patient receiving desflurane may initially be attributed to desflurane-induced sympathetic hyperactivity. This poses a clinical challenge in the diagnosis of MH during desflurane anaesthesia.

An innovative approach to selecting an executive director.

As a guide for how to select a new executive director, a family agency adopted the search committee process from higher education. The approach included clarifying agency goals and the director's qualifications, a board-staff screening, and interviews held jointly with public representatives before final board selection.