A 23-year-old woman presents to the emergency department wit…

A 23-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with severe sore throat, fever, and difficulty swallowing. She reports pain radiating to her ear and a muffled voice. On examination, you observe unilateral swelling and erythema of the soft palate, with uvular deviation away from the affected side. What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 13-year-old male presents to the emergency department with…

A 13-year-old male presents to the emergency department with a high fever, severe sore throat, drooling, and difficulty breathing. He is sitting upright and leaning forward, and his breathing is labored with inspiratory stridor. On physical examination, you note a muffled voice and severe distress. Which of the following is the the next step in the evaluation/treatment of this patient?