Common postoperative complications and their management, from wound infection to anastomotic leak, tested on USMLE Step 2 CK.
40 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.
- What is the most common cause of postoperative fever within the first 24-48 hours?
- Atelectasis.
- Postoperative fever on postop day 3-5 is classically attributed to what cause?
- Urinary tract infection.
- Postoperative fever on postop day 5-7 raises suspicion for what complication?
- Deep vein thrombosis.
- Postoperative fever on postop day 7-10 is classically caused by what?
- Surgical wound infection.
- Postoperative fever after day 10 should raise concern for what complications?
- Deep abscess or anastomotic leak.
- The classic mnemonic for causes of postoperative fever by timing is the ____ (Wind, Water, Walking, Wound, Wonder drugs/deep abscess).
- 5 Ws
- What bedside interventions reduce atelectasis after surgery?
- Incentive spirometry and early ambulation.
- What is the most common bacterial cause of surgical wound infection?
- Staphylococcus aureus.
- What is the definition of wound dehiscence?
- Separation of the fascial layers of a surgical incision.
- What is the classic presenting sign of wound dehiscence?
- Sudden discharge of pink (serosanguineous) fluid from the incision.
- What are major risk factors for wound dehiscence?
- Obesity, poor nutrition, wound infection, increased intra-abdominal pressure, and steroid use.
- What is evisceration?
- Protrusion of abdominal viscera through a fully separated wound.
- What is the immediate bedside management of evisceration?
- Cover the exposed bowel with sterile saline-soaked gauze and arrange emergent surgical closure.
- What is the hallmark early symptom of necrotizing fasciitis?
- Pain out of proportion to physical exam findings.
- What is the definitive treatment for necrotizing fasciitis?
- Emergent surgical debridement.