title: Common complications in the critically ill patient.
abstract: Critically ill patients in intensive care units are subject to many complications associated with therapy. Many of these complications are health care-associated infections and are related to indwelling devices, including ventilator-associated pneumonia, central line-associated bloodstream infection, catheter-associated urinary tract infection; surgical site infection, venous thromboembolism, deep venous thrombosis, and pulmonary embolus are other common complications. All efforts should be undertaken to prevent these complications in surgical critical care, and national efforts are under way for each of these complications. In this article, epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of these complications in critically ill patients are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Acute Care Surgery [Trauma, Burns, Surgical Critical Care, Emergency Surgery], Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5033, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: To
authors.forename: Lena M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Napolitano
mesh_terms: D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D003422:Critical Care; D016638:Critical Illness; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053717:Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy