Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
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Ann R Coll Surg Engl · Jul 2004
Case ReportsLife-threatening necrotizing fasciitis of the neck: an unusual consequence of a sore throat.
Necrotizing fasciitis is life-threatening bacterial infection which spreads with frightening speed along the fascial planes resulting in extensive tissue necrosis and often death. The infection is caused by either Group A streptococci or a combination of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Necrotizing fasciitis of the neck is rare and commonly has a dental origin. ⋯ Here we present a unique case of the condition that was preceded by a sore throat in a young immunocompetent woman. We also describe, for the first time, a successful outcome involving primary skin closure and daily irrigation of the wound with hydrogen peroxide.
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Ann R Coll Surg Engl · Jul 2004
Significance of routine digital rectal examination in adults presenting with abdominal pain.
Routine digital rectal examination (DRE) in children with abdominal pain has slowly gone out of practice but is still performed routinely in adults. This study was undertaken to assess the significance of routine DRE in adults with acute abdominal pain. ⋯ Various routine medical procedures have given way to evidence-based practice. This study has demonstrated the limited role of routine DRE in adults with no anorectal or GI symptoms during their initial evaluation for acute abdominal pain.