What happens if a surgical wound gets infected?

What happens if a surgical wound gets infected?

A surgical site infection may cause redness, delayed healing, fever, pain, tenderness, warmth around the incision or even swelling. In some cases, SSIs will cause pus to drain out of the wound site and cause the incision to reopen.

How common is infection after colon surgery?

Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common complication after colorectal surgery, with a reported incidence ranging from 3% to 30%1-3 and up to 40% in the absence of antibiotics. It has been significantly and independently associated with increased length of inpatient stay, morbidity, and cost.

How do I know if my surgery wound is infected?

Call your provider if your surgical wound has any signs of infection:

1. Pus or drainage.
2. Bad smell coming from the wound.
3. Fever, chills.
4. Hot to touch.
5. Redness.
6. Pain or sore to touch.

What does an infected wound look like after surgery?

Red streaks radiating from the incision to the surrounding skin are a sign that infection is spreading. 5. Drainage from the incision: An infected incision may produce foul-smelling drainage or pus. 5 The pus can be blood-tinged, green, white, or yellow.

How do you treat an infected wound?

How do you treat an infected wound? Unless the infection is very minor, antibiotics are usually needed to treat the infection and stop it spreading. If the wound and/or area of infection are small then an antibiotic cream such as fusidic acid may be prescribed.

What is colorectal surgical infection?

HAI Profile. Colon Surgical Site Infections. When germs get into an area where surgery is or was performed, patients can get a surgical site infection (SSI). Colon surgeries are one of two SSIs that are reported by all or most acute care hospitals in most U.S. states.

When should I be concerned about infection after surgery?

Contact your care team if you’re having trouble during your recovery or you develop complications, like: Signs of infection, like fever and chills. Redness, swelling, pain, bleeding, or any discharge from the surgical site. Nausea or vomiting that doesn’t get better.

What are the signs of sepsis after surgery?

What are the signs and symptoms of sepsis?

• Fast breathing.
• Fast heartbeat.
• Skin rash or clammy/sweaty skin.
• Weakness or aching muscles.
• Not passing much (or any) urine.
• Feeling very hot or cold, chills or shivering.
• Feeling confused, disoriented, or slurring your speech.
• Feeling very unwell, extreme pain or the ‘worst ever’.

How long after surgery can an infection occur?

A surgical wound infection can develop at any time from 2-3 days after surgery until the wound has visibly healed (usually 2-3 weeks after the operation). Very occasionally, an infection can occur several months after an operation.

When should I be concerned about infection?

Call a doctor or go to the hospital right away if you think you might have a skin infection and: You have a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher. You’re in a lot of pain. The redness or swelling spreads.