Which combination strongly indicates wound infection?

Which combination strongly indicates wound infection?

• A. Red, warm, tender incision with pain
• B. Dry surrounding skin with no changes
• C. Uniform pale scar tissue
• D. Absence of drainage

Answer: (A)

Recognizing local signs of wound infection. Redness around the incision, warmth to touch, and tenderness with pain reflect an inflammatory and infectious process at the wound site. Redness and warmth come from increased blood flow and vasodilation as the body's immune response tries to fight invading bacteria; tenderness and heightened pain indicate tissue irritation from ongoing infection. In contrast, dry surrounding skin, a uniform pale scar, or absence of drainage suggest normal healing rather than infection. Note that lack of drainage doesn’t rule out infection, but among these options, the presence of redness, warmth, and tenderness with pain is the strongest indicator of an infected wound.

Recognizing local signs of wound infection. Redness around the incision, warmth to touch, and tenderness with pain reflect an inflammatory and infectious process at the wound site. Redness and warmth come from increased blood flow and vasodilation as the body's immune response tries to fight invading bacteria; tenderness and heightened pain indicate tissue irritation from ongoing infection. In contrast, dry surrounding skin, a uniform pale scar, or absence of drainage suggest normal healing rather than infection. Note that lack of drainage doesn’t rule out infection, but among these options, the presence of redness, warmth, and tenderness with pain is the strongest indicator of an infected wound.