During a routine clinic follow-up, a patient with an indwelling ventriculo-peritoneal shunt enquires whether prophylactic antibiotics are necessary prior to routine dental hygiene work. He produces a letter from his dentist enquiring the same.

Dr Max Nathan of Morriston Hospital, Swansea, UK has had this happen … has it happened to you? And what did you do?

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Should paediatric critically ill patients receive insulin therapy to maintain strict normoglycaemia?

Joseph, a 4 year old boy with septic shock, lactic acidosis and multi-organ failure has been admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit. Mechanical ventilation, vaso-active support, and renal replacement therapy (CVVHD) are initiated. His serum glucose level is 10.5 mmol/l. The senior consultant decides to order insulin therapy in order to maintain strict normoglycaemia, but the junior fellow argues that there is no evidence that strict normoglycaemia improves outcome in critically ill children.

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