Postoperative infections: general principles and considerations

Every surgeon should have a thorough knowledge and awareness of the general principles of postoperative infections. The key to postoperative infections is in their prevention. Even with the most prudent and ardent regimens, however, postoperative wound infections will occasionally occur. Thus, the aforementioned knowledge will allow an improved clinical acumen and permit the early diagnosis of postoperative infection. Early and vigorous local wound care combined with systemic antibiotics are necessary to minimize the potentially debilitating sequelae of the postoperative wound infection.