Surgical Care

A surgical site infection is an infection that occurs after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. Most patients who have surgery do not develop an infection. Some of the common symptoms of a surgical site infection are:

• Redness and pain around the area where you had surgery
• Drainage of cloudy fluid from your surgical wound
• Fever

Yes. Most surgical site infections can be treated with antibiotics. The antibiotic given to you depends on the bacteria (germs) causing the infection. Sometimes patients with SSIs also need another surgery to treat the infection.

To prevent SSI’s doctors, nurses and other health care providers:

• Clean their hands and arms up to the elbows with an antiseptic agent just before the surgery.
• Clean their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub before and after caring for each
  patient.
• May remove hair immediately before your surgery using electric clippers (not a razor) if the hair is in
  the same area where the procedure will occur.
• Wear special hair covers, masks, gowns, and gloves during surgery to keep surgery area clean.
• Give you antibiotics before surgery starts. In most cases, you should get antibiotics within 60
  minutes before the surgery starts and the antibiotics should be stopped within 24 hours after surgery.

• Make sure that your health care providers clean their hands before examining you either with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub. If you do not see your health care providers clean their hands, please ask them to do so.
• Family and friends who visit you should not touch the surgical wound or dressings. Family and friends should clean their hands with soap and water or an alcohol based hand rub before and after visiting you. If you do not see them clean their hands, ask them to clean their hands.

Before you go home, your doctor or nurse will explain everything you need to know about taking care of your wound. Make sure you understand how to care for your wound before you leave the hospital.

• Always clean your hands before and after caring for your wound.
• If you have any symptoms of an infection, such as redness and pain at the surgery site, drainage, or
  fever, call your doctor immediately.
• If you have additional questions, please ask your doctor or nurse.