liz askew (asker) Nov 6, 2011:

Hi, sorry, I thought I had reversed "community decision vote", so have changed the glossary. I actually used "suppurative surgical wound" and the editor did not change this.

SJLD Nov 5, 2011:

Do please note, however, that "suppurating operation wound" is not what an English speaking doctor would say or write.

liz askew (asker) Nov 3, 2011:

Thank you Douglas! This puts my mind at rest.

DouglasCarnall Nov 3, 2011:

I think either translation is fine. I chose my translation as the form of words that would deliver the meaning in the French most plainly to an English medical reader. To suppurate is a perfectly good English verb, suppuration its noun, and any medical person reading it, and thus informed that pus was pouring forth from the wound, would conclude that the wound was infected. I'd argue that a suppurating wound is always infected, but not that an infected wound was always suppurating. When I've heard surgeons use the word suppurate, it was for dramatic emphasis in an oral discussion, and had a slightly archaic, historical feel to it (~"We haven't seen anything like this since penicillin was invented"). So a contemporary translation that evokes this sense of exaggeration has a slightly strange feel (to me anyway), but I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing (see Benjamin W.) and no important misunderstanding would result with either form.

liz askew (asker) Nov 3, 2011:

If only I were an MD, but I am not folks. I do have some medical experience (typing GP referral letters for 6+ years) but not the medical degree!! If we all had to be an MD to translate, there wouldn't be many medical translators in this world. We live in an imperfect world folks. I have chosen "wound infection" because the answer, came from MDs and was voted for by medical experts. However, as a poor wee medical translator, I would be tempted to put "suppurative surgical wound"...what else could I put. But with medical experts helping out, I opt for their contribution most of the time. Thanks to everybody!

Janet Ratziu Nov 3, 2011:

This is proof of the subtleties of translation and why it helps to have a medical background if one is going to translate medical texts.....A 'suppurative' wound is an infected wound, but if you don't like cutting to the chase like this, I think a 'suppurative surgical wound' is perfectly fine. I would avoid 'suppuration' though, as it is not described like that in clinical lingo.

liz askew (asker) Nov 2, 2011:

Thank you Janet!

Janet Ratziu Nov 2, 2011:

Hi Liz
I haven't heard the word used as a noun before, but it is a proper word and I think it is probably alright. More common however is the use of the adjective "suppurative", e.g., a suppurative surgical wound.

liz askew (asker) Nov 2, 2011:

Just sounds ugly "suppuration of the surgical wound", I prefer "suppurating surgical wound":)

DLyons Nov 2, 2011:

Suppuration sounds fine to me in a Medical context. Why do you doubt it?

liz askew (asker) Nov 2, 2011:

have just discovered "suppurating surgical wound".