In a recently sponsored segment on The Three, Dr. Luis Duharte from St. Joseph Health provided some valuable insights into managing and preventing post-surgery infections, an issue encountered across various medical facilities. Post-surgical infections, contrary to common belief, can occur in multiple parts of the body and are not necessarily confined to the surgical site.
A key indication of post-surgical infections is when a patient develops a fever within the 48 hours following any surgical procedure. If this happens, it’s paramount that healthcare professionals examine more than just the incision site. As Dr. Duharte explained, ‘There is a need to check for potential infections across the respiratory tract or urinary tract, particularly for patients who have been intubated or have had a urinary catheter.’ His emphasis is on taking a comprehensive, patient-centric approach to prevent these complications and not just focusing on the surgical site.
Certain proactive steps can be taken by the patients themselves to reduce the likelihood of infections post-surgery. Hospitals generally provide a special package for bathing 24 hours prior to the surgery. In the case of outpatient procedures, patients can use these kits at home before coming to the hospital. For inpatients, all the required materials for a pre-surgery bath designed to avert skin infections are made available.
Post-surgery, there are a few critical symptoms suggesting the requirement for immediate medical attention. These include heightened pain levels, a sense of heat in the surgical area upon touching, worsening pain when touching the area, and abnormal wound drainage that deteriorates over time. Dr. Duharte highly encourages patients to promptly seek medical attention upon observing any of these symptoms.
Source: https://www.kbtx.com/2025/12/05/health-check-explaining-post-surgery-infection-risks-prevention/