title: Post-operative wound management.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Optimal management of post-operative wounds in the community is important to prevent potential complications such as surgi-cal-site infections and wound dehiscence from developing. As such, general practitioners, who play an important part in the sub-acute management of post-operative wounds, should appreciate the physiology of wound healing and the principles of post-operative wound care.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this article is to update general practitioners on the important aspects of post-operative wound care. This includes a review of the physiology behind wound healing, an update on wound cleansing and dressing methods, as well as a guide on how common post-operative wound complications should be managed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The key elements of post-operative wound care include timely review of the wound, appropriate cleansing and dressing, as well as early recognition and active treatment of wound complications.
authors: MBBS (Hons), Orthopaedic Resident, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria.
authors: Kaihan
authors: K
authors: Yao
authors: Lily
authors: L
authors: Bae
authors: Wei Ping
authors: WP
authors: Yew
mesh_terms: D001458:Bandages; D058006:General Practice; D006801:Humans; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*