 |
|
Wound Infections
|
|
| Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings. |
|
|
|
Skin protects the body from infection. Breaks in the skin can occur through punctures (like a nail or a thorn), abrasions (scrapes or scratches), or lacerations (rips in the skin tissue). Healthy individuals can develop infections through wounds in the skin. However, it is more likely that persons with underlying immune system (the body's ability to fight infection) problems will develop wound infections if a break in their skin occurs. The October 26, 2005, issue of JAMA includes an article about use of supplemental oxygen to decrease the risk of surgical wound infections.
SIGNS OF WOUND INFECTIONS
- Redness, warmth, and tenderness in the area of the wound
- Pus—a foul-smelling, yellowish-white fluid coming from the wound
- Fever
RISK FACTORS
- Older age
- Diabetes
- Immune system disorders, cancer, human immunodeficiency virus infection, and malnutrition
- Paralysis or other limited mobility (wheelchairs, confined to bed)
- Hospitalization, which increases risk for infection by organisms that are resistant to antibiotics
COMPLICATIONS . . . [Full Text of this Article]
Janet M. Torpy, MD, Writer;
Alison Burke, MA, Illustrator;
Richard M. Glass, MD, Editor
RELATED ARTICLE
Supplemental Perioperative Oxygen and the Risk of Surgical Wound Infection: A Randomized Controlled Trial
F. Javier Belda, Luciano Aguilera, José García de la Asunción, Javier Alberti, Rosario Vicente, Lucía Ferrándiz, Rafael Rodríguez, Roque Company, Daniel I. Sessler, Gerardo Aguilar, Stephanie García Botello, Rafael Ortí, and for the Spanish Reduccion de la Tasa de Infeccion Quirurgica Group
JAMA. 2005;294(16):2035-2042.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
|
