What is the timing for possible infectious causes of fever in the postoperative setting for POD 5-7?

Fever in the postoperative period can be assessed using the "5 W's," a mnemonic that helps identify potential causes of fever in a patient. In the context of postoperative day 5 to 7, the possible infectious causes typically include "Wound" (surgical site infection) and "Water" (urinary tract infection), but as time progresses post-surgery, the most relevant infectious cause is usually related to the surgical wound.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) could start to present out to a week after surgery and are particularly common around the 5-7 day mark. During this timeframe, the risk is higher as the initial inflammatory response peaks and may develop into an actual infection if bacteria were introduced during the procedure. Therefore, monitoring for fever due to an SSI in the postoperative setting is critical.

The other causes including wind (pneumonia), water (UTI), and wonder drugs (drug fever) may have some relevance, but surgical site infections usually take precedence as a primary concern after surgery within this specific timeline. Hence, focusing on potential wound-related infections seems most appropriate given the phase of recovery being discussed.