Guide To Diagnosing And Treating Sepsis

Wound Secretion Test

A wound secretion test may be done as part of the diagnostic process. This test, also commonly called a wound drainage culture, is used to determine the cause of an infection. Different antibiotics treat different infections. If an individual has an infected wound, a wound drainage culture will help the doctors determine what antibiotics to prescribe. The culture can find fungi, viruses, and bacteria in a wound. No special preparation needs to be done on the patient's part before the test. Patients need to let their doctor know if they have taken any medications or antibiotics that might affect the results.

During a wound secretion test, the wounded area will be cleaned. A numbing medication will sometimes be used a half-hour before the procedure. In other cases, patients might be sedated for it. There are a few ways that doctors might take a sample of the culture. With open wounds, they may use a cotton swab. For closed wounds, they may use a needle and syringe to withdraw pus. If the wound is abscessed, the doctor might need to cut into the skin above to reach it.

Continue reading to uncover treatments for sepsis now.