Final answer:
The CDC Surgical Wound Classification includes old traumatic wounds with retained devitalized tissue and those with pre-existing infections, which suggests preoperative presence of pathogens. Detection of microbes like Clostridium perfringens is done using Gram stain and cultivation on blood agar, critical for managing severe infections such as gas gangrene. Surgical interventions, including VAC and antibiotic treatments, are essential for treating such infections.
Step-by-step explanation:
The CDC Surgical Wound Classification characterizes different types of surgical wounds to predict the risk of infection. In this classification, a certain category includes old traumatic wounds with retained nonviable tissue and those that involve existing clinical infection or perforated viscera which is indicative of the organisms causing postoperative infection being present before the surgery. This is crucial for the understanding and management of wound infections in a medical setting.
For the detection of Clostridium perfringens, a bacterium that can cause gas gangrene, it is recommended to use Gram stain and anaerobic cultivation of wound exudate and tissue samples on blood agar. This pathogen is among several that can lead to severe wound infections such as necrotizing fasciitis, particularly in environments like hospitals where the prevalence of antibiotics may select for drug-resistant bacteria.
In cases like Mark's where the infection progresses rapidly, surgical intervention is necessary, including the use of procedures like vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) to aid recovery. Additionally, antibiotic treatments including penicillin G and clindamycin are common, sometimes combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy to eliminate anaerobic bacterial presence.