Which symptom indicates a possible infection post-surgery?

A temperature greater than 38 degrees Celsius is a significant indicator of a potential infection following surgery. Post-operative infections can arise due to various factors, including surgical site contamination, prolonged hospital stay, or underlying health conditions that may compromise the immune system. Fever is one of the body's natural responses to infection, as it is part of the immune response aimed at fighting off pathogens. Medical professionals often monitor temperature closely in post-surgical patients as elevated temperatures can lead to further assessments and appropriate interventions to manage the infection.

In contrast, increased mobility generally suggests that a patient is recovering well from surgery and is not indicative of infection. Decreased pain at the surgical site is typically a sign that healing is progressing rather than pointing to an infection. Normal bowel sounds indicate that the gastrointestinal system is functioning appropriately, which is not related to infection at the surgical site. All these factors highlight that while they are relevant to post-operative care, they do not specifically indicate an infection as fever does.