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Surgical Complications

Jaine McKenzie, MD Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • A surgical complication can be defined as “any deviation from the normal postoperative course,” but typically implies a negative outcome (1).

  • Examples include wound complications (su...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Wound infection: history of surgery several days prior to presentation with pain, warmth, redness, or drainage at site of incision

  • Seroma/hematoma: expanding mass at incision site; typ...

TREATMENT

MEDICATION

  • Acetaminophen, NSAIDs, and opiates (as needed) for pain control (multimodal therapy)

  • VTE prophylaxis as appropriate

  • Broad-spectrum antibiotics for sepsis/severe infection

  • Simple wound...

REFERENCES

1
Manekk RS, Gharde P, Gattani R, et al. Surgical Complications and Its Grading: A Literature Review. Cureus. 2022;14(5):e24963. doi: 10.7759/cureus.24963.
2
Mullen MG, Michaels AD, Mehaffey ...

CODES

ICD10

  • R50.82 Postprocedural fever

  • T81.4XXA Infection following a procedure, initial encounter

  • T81.31XA Disruption of external operation (surgical) wound, not elsewhere classified, initial encounter

  • ...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Smoking is associated with increased risk for general morbidity, wound complications, infections, pulmonary complications, neurologic complications, and admission to the intensive care...

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