A patient with infection of the deep neck space may have an increased length of stay (LOS) if certain findings are present. These can help to identify a patient who may require more aggressive management. The authors are from the University of Kentucky in Lexington.
Patient selection: infection of deep neck space
Predictors for a longer length of stay:
(1) older age (>= 44 years)
(2) diabetes
(3) ASA class 4
(4) Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) >= 1
(5) repeat procedure
(6) readmission
A patient on a medical service tended to have a longer LOS and greater comorbidity than a patient on a surgical service.
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