Identify common postoperative wound infection signs.

• A. Redness, warmth, swelling, increased pain, purulent drainage, fever, delayed healing.
• B. Normal healing with reduced pain.
• C. Absence of drainage and pale wound.
• D. High blood pressure as sole sign.

Answer: (A)

Postoperative wound infection is suggested by a combination of local and sometimes systemic signs of infection. Redness and warmth around the wound reflect increased blood flow and inflammation. Swelling (edema) and increased pain indicate tissue irritation and infection progression. Purulent drainage is a hallmark sign of bacterial involvement, often with a foul odor. Fever signals a systemic response to infection, and delayed healing shows the wound is not progressing through the normal healing stages.

Other options don’t fit infection: a description of normal healing with reduced pain isn’t infection; absence of drainage and a pale wound isn’t typical of infection; and high blood pressure alone isn’t related to wound infection.