The Journal of otolaryngology
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Acute epiglottitis is a pediatric airway emergency. No deaths occurred in 61 cases treated by elective tracheostomy at The Montreal Children's Hospital between 1966 and 1974. Seven patients (11.5%) showed evidence of aspiration pneumonia prior to tracheostomy and seven others developed pulmonary atelectasis in the first 24 hours following tracheostomy but only 9.8% of the total had a complication which continued in evidence 24 hours following surgery. ⋯ Of these patients, 32 (52.4%) were seen between a year and seven-and-a-half years later. Twenty were completely asymptomatic with a small, neat scar. Twelve patients had experienced some upper respiratory problem or minor problems related to the tracheostomy incision.
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The criteria for screening infants' hearing in the newborn nursery are reviewed. The problems encountered are discussed and a screening program outlined. Over 12,000 newborn infants were screened for hearing over a five year period and a total of eight were confirmed deaf - an incidence of one in 1,500 live births.