A surgical wound with controlled entry into a body cavity without unusual contamination falls into which classification category?

• A. Clean-contaminated
• B. Clean
• C. Contaminated
• D. Dirty

Answer: (A)

Classification of surgical wounds by contamination level depends on whether a hollow viscus is entered and how clean the environment remains. When a wound involves entering a body cavity in a controlled, clean way and there’s no unusual contamination, it fits the clean-contaminated category. The key is that the entry into a hollow organ or cavity is planned and performed under controlled conditions, and there isn’t gross contamination or infection present.

It’s not a clean wound because the cavity entry means there is deliberate breach of a sterile barrier involving a hollow viscus. It’s not contaminated or dirty because there’s no spillage, major break in sterile technique, active infection, or devitalized tissue contributing to contamination.