Re: Healing by first intent


"David Rind" <drind@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:d3hkti$49p$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Howard McCollister wrote:
>> "The Last Danish Pastry" <clivet@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:3c2r28F6lkjs1U1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>>>Is there another word or phrase for "healing by first intent"?
>>
>>
>>
>> Primary wound closure.
>>
>> HMc
>
> I think of "primary wound closure" as something done by a doctor and so
> not exactly synonymous. I would have thought "healing by primary
> intention" would be the standard english medical phrase for what the OP
> was asking about.
>

"Primary intention" refers to apposition of the wound edges, IOW physician
closure of the wound...skin grafting at the time of the incision would also
fall into this category. The point is to minimize wound contraction, a
classic part of wound healing. Wound contraction is exacerbated in healing
by secondary intention, and this contraction contributes to unsightly
scarring and functional impairment in some cases such as across joints. In
some cases of a wound at high risk for infection, healing by *delayed*
primary intention is implemented, which generally refers to leaving the
wound open for a few days, debriding then closing the wound. Again, the
closure in this case is done by the physician to minimize wound contraction.

You could also call it "primary wound closure" or "delayed primary closure".
We're getting into semantics from the time of Halsted here.

HMc



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