Case report medication error: oral antibiotics and simethicone accidentally injected intravenously

Excerpt

Sir: We report the clinical sequelae of the accidentally intravenous administration of a nonsterile mixture of oral antibiotics and simethicone to a 62-year-old woman in our ICU. The lady was admitted with septic shock following a laparotomy for a large-bowel perforation. Selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) was instituted [1, 2, 3]. SDD consists of the administration of an intravenous antibiotic together with the topical application of antibiotics: SDD pasta is applied orally, SDD containing suppositories are inserted rectally and SDD solution (containing per 10 ml: 500 mg amphothericin B, 100 mg colistin sulfate and 80 mg tobramycin sulfate and viscosity enhancers carbomere and propylene glycol; preparation protocol, Pharmacy Isala Clinics, Sophia, Zwolle, The Netherlands) is administered with simethicone (to prevent flatulence and meteorism) via the feeding tube. …