[Brain irradiation and phenytoin: a dangerous liaison?]. / Hirnbestrahlung und Phenytoin: Une liaison dangereuse?

Three patients are presented, who developed a severe skin reaction after brain-irradiation and concomitant phenytoin treatment. A fourth patient from the databAse of the Swiss Drug Monitoring Center, showed a Stevens-Johnson-Syndrome after a severe electric shock and phenytoin treatment. Possible pathogenic mechanisms of these life-threatening complications and possible alternatives to the phenytoin treatment in irradiated patients are discussed.