Recognition and treatment of surgical wound infections

1. Tissue traumatized by surgery heals in a three-phase sequential process: a defensive response to the injury, reconstruction of the site, and maturation (closing) of the wound. 2. Not all patients undergoing surgery are at equal risk for infection. The anatomic location of the surgery, the seeding of the surgical site with the patient's own normal flora, the OR environment and personnel, and the presence of a foreign body left in place after closure all contribute to the risk of infection. 3. The treatment of postoperative infection can be divided into the physical aspects of wound care and the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents.