Sedentary Work Exerting up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and other sedentary criteria are met.

Light Work Exerting up to 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of force frequently, and/or negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Sedentary Work. Light Work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree. However, if the use of the arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for Sedentary Work and the worker sits most the time, the job is rated Light Work.

Medium Work Exerting up to 50 (22.7 kg) pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 25 pounds (11.3 kg) of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of forces constantly to move objects.

Heavy Work Exerting up to 100 pounds (45.4 kg) of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds (22.7 kg) of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force constantly to move objects.

Very Heavy Work Exerting in excess of 100 pounds (45.4 kg) of force occasionally, and/or in excess of 50 pounds (22.7 kg) of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force constantly to move objects.

Job Classification

In most duration tables, five job classifications are displayed. These job classifications are based on the amount of physical effort required to perform the work. The classifications correspond to the Strength Factor classifications described in the United States Department of Labor's Dictionary of Occupational Titles. The following definitions are quoted directly from that publication.

Sedentary Work Exerting up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and other sedentary criteria are met.

Light Work Exerting up to 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of force frequently, and/or negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Sedentary Work. Light Work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree. However, if the use of the arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for Sedentary Work and the worker sits most the time, the job is rated Light Work.

Medium Work Exerting up to 50 (22.7 kg) pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 25 pounds (11.3 kg) of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of forces constantly to move objects.

Heavy Work Exerting up to 100 pounds (45.4 kg) of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds (22.7 kg) of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force constantly to move objects.

Very Heavy Work Exerting in excess of 100 pounds (45.4 kg) of force occasionally, and/or in excess of 50 pounds (22.7 kg) of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force constantly to move objects.

Wound Infection, Postoperative


Related Terms

  • Nosocomial Infection

Differential Diagnosis

Specialists

  • General Surgeon
  • Hand Surgeon
  • Infectious Disease Internist
  • Orthopedic Surgeon

Factors Influencing Duration

The type and extent of the infection, its treatment, the presence of complications, and the individual's response to treatment will influence the length of disability. In addition, those of advanced age or those who smoke have prolonged wound healing that might influence the length of disability.

Medical Codes

ICD-9-CM:
998.51 - Infected Postoperative Seroma
998.59 - Other Postoperative Infection; Intra-abdominal Postoperative; Stitch Postoperative; Subphrenic Postoperative; Wound Postoperative; Septicemia Postoperative
998.6 - Persistent Postoperative Fistula

Causation and Known Risk Factors

Wound infection results from microbes flourishing in the surgical site because of poor quality of tissue, limited vascular supply to wound area, poor preoperative preparation, wound contamination, poor antibiotic selection, or the inability of an immunocompromised patient to fight off infection. Contamination of the wound is present to some extent in all incisions; a setback in recovery such as malnutrition, cardiac failure, or decreased oxygen to the tissues will weaken the individual and allow the infection to take hold.

Abdominal surgeries, lengthy surgeries (lasting over 2 hours), contaminated operations, and the presence of multiple (more than 3) diagnoses in the individual present the highest risk. Generally, factors increasing an individual's risk include advanced age, obesity, malnutrition, decreased blood volume, lengthy preoperative stay, hypothermia, poor tissue perfusion, diabetes, and the use of immunosuppressants such as steroids. Certain wound characteristics may also factor into surgical site infection (SSI), including dead tissue, poor skin preparation, and wound drains. Additionally, conditions surrounding the surgery may account for added risk; among them are surgical technique, wound site contamination, infection among the surgical staff, and instrument contamination. Preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis, good isolation techniques and delayed suturing of contaminated or infected wounds will lower the risk of postoperative wound infection.

Source: Medical Disability Advisor






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