[Complications of routine intensive care interventions]

The frequent use of invasive procedures for diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment in intensive care units engenders often underestimated dangers due to human error or complications which are to some extent inherent. A brief survey is given of adverse events in connection with central venous catheters, Swan-Ganz catheters, arterial lines, endotracheal intubation, gastric tubes, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Strategies to reduce the risks are outlined. Documentation of adverse events and near misses, along with an analysis of their causes constitute indispensable elements of quality control in intensive care medicine. Policies to avoid adverse events, as well as guidelines to recognize and treat them promptly should be regularly scrutinized.