Surgical Complications Flashcards
Name the 5 important surgical complications
- Surgical site infection
- Post operative haemorrhage and haematoma
- Intestinal ileus
- Wound dehiscence
- Post op MI
What are the signs and symptoms of a surgical site infection?
- Redness
- Delayed healing
- Fever
- Warmth and swelling around the area
- Purlulent discharge
- Abscess / pus in surgical drain (organ or deep infection)
What are the three classifications of surgical site infection?:
- Superficial incisional - limited to the area of skin where the incision was made
- Deep incisional - Infection occurs beneath the incision and in surrounding tissues
- Organ or space infection - Occurring in any area of the body other than the skin, muscle or fascia involved in the surgery
What are the three classifications of bleeding that can occur associated with surgery?
- Primary bleeding: bleeding intraoperatively
- Reactive bleeding: bleeding within 24 hours
- Secondary bleeding: occurs 7-10 days post op usually due to infection that erodes a blood vessel.
What specific bleeding complications are associated with a thyroidectomy or parathyroidectomy? How should it be managed?
Damage to neck vessels during surgery can lead to haemorrhage post operatively. Bleeding into the neck leads to airway obstruction.
Manage by evacuating the clot at the bedside and getting an urgent senior review.
What specific bleeding complications are associated with laparoscopic abdominal surgery ?
The inferior gastric artery is vulnerable to injury from laparoscopic ports and can be a source of bleeding.
What specific bleeding complications are associated with procedures involving angiography?
Angiography procedures commonly use the external iliac artery and bleeding into the retroperitoneal space can occur.
Define post op intestinal ileus
A deceleration or arrest of intestinal motility following surgery. Also defined as a functional obstruction of the bowel.
