Incision Care: Risks / Benefits
What are the signs of a possible infection in an incision?
- A wound that has green or yellow drainage
- A bad odor from the incision.
- Opening of the incision line – it gets deeper, longer, or wider.
- Redness that goes beyond the basic edge of the incision – site should show signs of improvement and not getting redder.
- Warmth, hardness, around the incision.
- Fever (greater than 101 degrees Fahrenheit or 38.4 degrees Celsius), sweating, or chills.
- Swings in blood sugar levels in a diabetic patient.
What are the general risk factors for developing an infection?
Patients at higher risk are those who have:
- Diabetes.
- A history of smoking.
- Excess weight.
- Poor nutrition.
- Weak immune system (for example, a patient on chemotherapy or an elderly patient).
- Recent emergency surgery or a long surgical procedure.