wound descriptions

[newlife21]

how to describe a wound? can someone help me to figure out what is primary,secondary and tertiary intention?

and...if u have an idea on wound breakdown post-appendectomy,please tell me. Thanks....

[mamamerlee, LPN]

Okay - here are some 'simple' answers. Always measure a wound from head-to-toe as the LENGTH and side-to-side as the WIDTH.

Primary - surgical closure, wound edges are touching or nearly touching. healing.

Secondary - wound edges are not touching, either by design or because the wound dehisced after the sutures/staples removed, and the wound heals from the inside up to the top, usually after a period of time with packed dressings, vaccuum dressings, etc. May have been caused by infection, heavy drainage, poor healing capacity.

Tertiary - wound was open as in secondary, but may have been meshed or skin-grafted to promote closure.

Wound breakdown, as stated above, may be due to poor internal closure resulting in a fistula of some sort and/or excessive drainage/internal infection.

Post-appy likely due to infection - I've seen a few that had drains left in for a few days to assure no infectious material left inside. Diabetics or nutrionally-suspect patients have poor healing capacity. And then there are a few patients who just can't keep their hands off of their incisions.

Hope this helps.

[newlife21]

Thanks mamamerlee,your post really helpful. I appreciated it.

[mamamerlee, LPN]

I assume you are not a health care pro, or you wouldn't be asking this and your other post, either.

Hope your appy surgery went okay and you are on the mend.