What is a common post-repair instruction to prevent wound complications?

• A. Do nothing
• B. Massage around the lip to accelerate healing
• C. Avoid cleansing instructions
• D. Cleanse and dry suture lines, monitor for infection, avoid pressure/trauma, follow cleansing instructions

Answer: (D)

Post-repair wound care for lip surgery focuses on preventing infection and wound complications by protecting the suture line and keeping the area clean and dry. The best instruction is to cleanse and dry the suture lines, monitor for infection, avoid pressure or trauma to the repair, and follow cleansing instructions closely. This approach directly reduces bacterial contamination, helps the sutures stay intact, and promotes proper healing. Doing nothing fails to protect the wound; massaging around the lip can disrupt sutures and delay healing; avoiding cleansing instructions increases the risk of infection because bacteria aren’t being removed or managed.