In a patient with Cushing's disease admitted after stab wound to the abdomen, which problem has the highest priority to prevent postoperative complications?

In a patient with Cushing's disease admitted after stab wound to the abdomen, which problem has the highest priority to prevent postoperative complications?

• A. Insomnia
• B. Nervousness
• C. Inability to care for self
• D. Infection

Answer: (D)

In Cushing’s disease, prolonged exposure to high cortisol suppresses the immune system and impairs wound healing. This makes postoperative infections the most likely and potentially dangerous complication after abdominal surgery. The body's ability to fight microbes is reduced, and sugar control is often worsened by the stress of surgery, creating an environment where infections such as wound infections, intra-abdominal sepsis, or pneumonia can develop quickly and lead to serious consequences. Preventing infection—through strict asepsis, timely antibiotic prophylaxis, and careful glucose management—therefore takes priority to avert life‑threatening postoperative issues. Insomnia and nervousness are important for comfort and anxiety management but do not pose the immediate risk to the patient’s survival in the postoperative period in the same way infection does. Inability to care for self affects rehabilitation but is not the acute threat to survival that infection represents.

In Cushing’s disease, prolonged exposure to high cortisol suppresses the immune system and impairs wound healing. This makes postoperative infections the most likely and potentially dangerous complication after abdominal surgery. The body's ability to fight microbes is reduced, and sugar control is often worsened by the stress of surgery, creating an environment where infections such as wound infections, intra-abdominal sepsis, or pneumonia can develop quickly and lead to serious consequences. Preventing infection—through strict asepsis, timely antibiotic prophylaxis, and careful glucose management—therefore takes priority to avert life‑threatening postoperative issues. Insomnia and nervousness are important for comfort and anxiety management but do not pose the immediate risk to the patient’s survival in the postoperative period in the same way infection does. Inability to care for self affects rehabilitation but is not the acute threat to survival that infection represents.