A 52-year-old man undergoes elective colonic resection. On postoperative day 4, he develops erythema and purulent drainage from the incision. On postoperative day 8, he presents with fever (38.9°C), tachycardia, and sudden dehiscence of the incision with serosanguinous fluid. Which finding best distinguishes this presentation from a simple superficial SSI?

See the options, answer & explanation

Sign in free to reveal the answer choices, the correct answer, the detailed explanation, and AI-powered insights for this question.