The nurse is caring for a patient with a large sternal wound. The wound is currently being packed with saline soaked gauze to remove all exudate. Once the wound is clean, the patient will have surgery to close the wound

Question

Which type of wound healing is this process considered? 1. primary intention
2. secondary intention
3. tertiary intention
4. maturation

Answer 1

3

Rationale: Tertiary intention is a method of wound closure that uses a combination of primary and secondary intention. The wound is left open for a short period of time, usually a few days, to allow edema and exudate to resolve. The wound is packed with dressings that are changed to remove any debris and is closed later by primary intention. Clean lacerations and most surgical incisions are closed using primary intention. Wounds healing by secondary intention include open abdominal wounds, dehisced sternal wounds, and stages III and IV pressure ulcers. Remodeling/maturation is the final wound repair process and leads to scar formation.