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Purpose: Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) may cause adverse outcomes in patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Computerized decision support systems (CDSSs) may help prevent DDIs by timely showing relevant warning alerts, but knowledge on which DDIs are clinically relevant in the ICU setting is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify DDIs relevant for the ICU. Materials and methods: We conducted a modified Delphi procedure with a Dutch multidisciplinary expert panel consisting of intensivists and hospital pharmacists to assess the clinical relevance of DDIs for the ICU. The procedure consisted of two rounds, each included a questionnaire followed by a live consensus meeting. Results: In total the clinical relevance of 148 DDIs was assessed, of which agreement regarding the relevance was reached for 139 DDIs (94%). Of these 139 DDIs, 53 (38%) were considered not clinically relevant for the ICU setting. Conclusions: A list of clinically relevant DDIs for the ICU setting was established on a national level. The clinical value of CDSSs for medication safety could be improved by focusing on the identified clinically relevant DDIs, thereby avoiding alert fatigue. (c) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

To gain better insight into postoperative wound complications in breast cancer surgery, we reviewed the charts of all patients who were treated by means of a modified radical mastectomy or a lumpectomy with axillary lymph node dissection and radiation treatment between 1980 and 1987. Our study included 98 breast conserving therapies and 380 modified radical mastectomies. In 11 % of cases a postoperative wound infection occurred: 14% in breast conserving therapies and 11% in modified radical mastectomies. An abscess occurred in 6% of cases: 5% in breast conserving therapies and 6% in modified radical mastectomies. When a wound infection occurred, average hospitalization was prolonged by 10 days. The risk of wound infections increased with age and was positively correlated with the production of seroma: it was higher in cases of transfusions and, after adjustment for these factors, also higher in cases of breast conserving therapy.

We present a 49-y-old male, with a history of Marfan's disease and aortic and mitral valve replacement surgery, who was operated for a type III thoracoabdominal aneurysm. The postoperative course was compromised by a Staphylococcus epidermidis mitral valve endocarditis, which was successfully treated only after intravenous linezolid was included in the therapy.

A 43-year-old man was admitted to the intensive care unit because of weaning impairment. His medical history revealed hypertension, marfan disease, bentall procedure, partial aortic arch replacement, and replacement of the aortic arch with bypasses to the left common carotid, proximal innominate, and left subclavian arteries. Now a thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (crawford extent ii) with dissection necessitated aortic replacement from the previous graft to the iliac bifurcation. Extubation attempts early after surgical intervention failed. After transfer to the intensive care unit, weaning was impaired by desaturation caused by sputum retention. Resistance during advancement of a suction tube into the trachea was noted. Bronchoscopy showed 90% stenosis caused by external compression. A computed tomographic (ct) scan (figure 1) visualized tracheal compression between the spinal column and the aneurysmatic innominate artery (maximal diameter of 3 cm). During reoperation, the innominate artery aneurysm was excluded, new bypasses to the right carotid and subclavian arteries were constructed, and fibrotic tissue compromising the patency of the trachea was transected. During the operation (positive-pressure ventilation), bronchoscopy revealed spontaneous deployment and a fully patent lumen. Five days postoperatively, bronchoscopy during spontaneous breathing (zero positive pressure) revealed tracheomalacia and a remaining stenosis of 60%. Several hours after extubation, coughing and increased inspiratory effort resulted in desaturation and stridor. Reintubation was necessary for another week. After 14 days, the patient was discharged from the hospital without stridor or dyspnea. A ct scan performed after 5 months showed persistent tracheomalacia with a diameter reduction of approximately 60% (figure 2). The patient was free of symptoms.download full-size imagefigure 1. Ct scan of the cervical region showing 90% tracheal stenosis caused by compression of the trachea between the spinal column and the aneurysmatic innominate artery (Ø 3 cm).