A nurse is reviewing wound healing concepts with a student nurse. The student asks why a surgical incision that was closed with sutures heals faster and with less scarring than a large open wound left to heal on its own. Which explanation by the nurse best describes this difference?
- A sutured wound heals by tertiary intention, which means the wound is intentionally left open before delayed closure.
- A sutured wound heals by secondary intention, where granulation tissue fills the wound from the edges inward.
- A sutured wound heals by primary intention, where wound edges are approximated and tissue layers are rejoined with minimal scarring.
- A sutured wound heals more quickly because sutures prevent the inflammatory phase of wound healing from occurring.