Clinical Disease

critical-care

Must-have

Septic Source Control in the Perioperative Patient

Identifying and definitively managing the infection source in septic shock

Septic source control = any physical or operative intervention that controls or eliminates the infection source (drain abscess, debride necrotic tissue, resect perforated/obstructed viscus, remove infected hardware). Per the SCCM 2026 framework, source evaluation belongs in the initial bundle — not as a late step after resuscitation.

If you forget

Source control is definitive — antibiotics and pressors only buy time until the nidus is eliminated

Board trap

After resuscitation alone the patient transiently looks better — but persistent pressor requirement, non-resolving lactate, or new organ dysfunction means source control was NOT achieved. The board exam rewards the answer 're-explore / re-image' over 'continue current antibiotics.'

Key numbers

MAP target ≥65 mmHg during septic shock resuscitation (Surviving Sepsis)
Initial lactate with serial reassessment to gauge response to source control and resuscitation
Antibiotics: administer as soon as feasible — ideally within 1 hour of sepsis recognition

Reviewed Sep 16, 2026 for clinical accuracy by BoardsBridge Editorial Process

Uri Rozen, MD — Licensed Physician, Israel

Source guidelines: SCCM Surviving Sepsis 2026 · CDC Hospital Sepsis Core Elements 2023

Re-review cadence: 12 months from reviewed date.

Drill this as a SOE stem →

Related on BoardsBridge

Card ID: septic-source-control · Path: aba.critical-care.shock-states.septic-source-control