Teaching aseptic technique for central venous access under ultrasound guidance: a randomized trial comparing didactic training alone to didactic plus simulation-based training.

Background: Our goal was to determine whether simulation combined with didactic training improves sterile technique during ultrasound (US)-guided central venous catheter (CVC) insertion compared with didactic training alone among novices. We hypothesized that novices who receive combined didactic and simulation-based training would perform similarly to experienced residents in aseptic technique, knowledge, and perception of comfort during US-guided CVC insertion on a simulator.

Methods: Seventy-two subjects were enrolled in a randomized, controlled trial of an educational intervention.

Brainstem encephalitis with Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease.

A case of young woman is described who developed clinical and MRI features of brainstem encephalitis in the setting of fever and cervical lymphadenopathy. Lymph node biopsy revealed histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease), which may reflect host response to an unspecified immune insult.