How to Treat a Wound That Has Become Infected After Surgery?

If the wound becomes infected with pus after surgery, the first step is to assess the infection status of the infected area. Observe the extent of pus formation in the wound, whether there are signs of internal infection, and whether there is tissue necrosis. For patients with mild wound infection, antibiotics can be prescribed by a doctor, and the wound can be irrigated with saline solution.

1. Maintain a good postoperative position. After surgery, patients undergoing minor to moderate surgeries are usually returned to their original ward, while patients undergoing major or critical surgeries are sent to a postoperative ward (intensive care unit or observation room). For patients under general anesthesia who are still unconscious, they should be placed in a supine position without a pillow, with their head tilted to one side to prevent saliva or vomit from entering the respiratory tract and causing respiratory infections. Patients under epidural anesthesia or spinal anesthesia should lie flat for 6 to 12 hours to prevent postoperative headache. After neck, chest, or abdominal surgery, patients are often placed in a semi-sitting or semi-reclining position. Patients who have undergone spinal surgery should sleep on a hard bed. For patients who have undergone limb surgery, the surgical limb should be elevated or traction applied.

2. Assist medical staff in observing body temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure. If you feel any discomfort, fever, rapid heartbeat, etc., report it to the doctor or nurse. It is worth noting that it is normal to have a fever around 38°C within 3 to 5 days after surgery, which is called postoperative reaction fever or absorption fever. There is no need to be alarmed about this.