Complications of Hospital-Acquired Wound Infections: Risks and Care Considerations
A recent WoundSource blog post outlines the serious complications associated with hospital-acquired wound infections (HAWIs), which significantly impede healing, increase hospital stay, and elevate patient morbidity. These infections often emerge in surgical wounds, pressure injuries, and device-related sites. :contentReference[oaicite:turn0search0]{index=0}
Key Highlights:
- Delayed Healing & Prolonged Hospitalization: Infections can disrupt normal wound repair processes, leading to extended hospital stays and prolonged recovery.
- Abscess Formation: Localized collections of pus may develop, requiring incision, drainage, and targeted antimicrobial therapy. :contentReference[oaicite:turn0search0]{index=0}
- Surgical Wound Dehiscence: Infection can cause wound edges to separate prematurely, necessitating additional surgical or mechanical closure interventions. :contentReference[oaicite:turn0search2]{index=0}
- Antimicrobial Resistance & Sepsis Risk: Hospital-acquired pathogens often exhibit multidrug resistance, complicating treatment and raising the risk of systemic infection and sepsis.
This overview emphasizes that early recognition, appropriate dressing selection, and prompt antimicrobial therapy are critical to minimizing complications associated with hospital-acquired wound infections.
Read the full article on the WoundSource website.
Keywords:
hospital-acquired infection,
wound complications,
abscess,
dehiscence,
antimicrobial resistance