It's the infection of the skin that surrounds the incision or surgical cut produced by the c-section surgery.
Tha majority of surgical cut infections appear during the first 30 days after the c-section. You have a higher risk of having an infection if you present any of the following risk factors: diabetes, obesity or smoking.
When the surgical cut gets infected, a reddening of the area, heat to the touch and pus can be observed. It can also produce pain and fever.
Diagnosis is reached when we know that a previous C-section was actually performed and the wound exploration shows inflammation/infection signs.
Treatment is based on an early detection and administration of analgesics, anti-inflammatory or antibiotic drugs. In more severe cases or, against a poor response of the medical treatment, it can be necessary to, again, surgically drain the pus of the infected zone.
- Prevención y control de la herida quirúrgica. Documentos técnicos sobre infección nosocomial. Sociedad Española de Medicina Preventiva Salud Pública e Higiene. Disponible en: ww.mpsp.es
- Dellinger E. Infecciones quirúrgicas. En: Sabinston D, editor. Tratado de patología quirúrgica. 15.ª ed. México: McGraw-Hill Interamericana; 1999.
- Santalla A et al. Infección de la Herida quirúrgica. Prevención y tratamiento. Clinica e Investigación en Ginecologia y Obstetricia (2007) DOI: 10.1016/S0210-573X(07)74505-7
