What is the key sign of a wound bed healing by secondary intention?

A wound healing by secondary intention typically involves a process where the wound edges are not approximated, and the body must fill in the wound defect over time through natural healing processes. The key sign that indicates this type of healing is the presence of granulation tissue at the base of the wound.

Granulation tissue is made up of new connective tissue and tiny blood vessels that form on the surface of a wound during the healing process. It is typically pink or red and moist, signifying that the wound is progressing toward healing. This tissue acts as a scaffold for new cells to grow and indicates that the body is actively working to repair the area.

In contrast, options such as the presence of scabbing more commonly associate with wounds healing by primary intention, where edges are brought together, and scab formation occurs as a protective layer. Dryness of the wound suggests that healing might be stalling or that there is insufficient moisture to promote healing. Complete closure with no granulation implies healing has finished and suggests a differing, typically more efficient, healing pathway than what is expected in secondary intention. Thus, granulation tissue serves as the hallmark of healing by secondary intention, confirming the process is progressing appropriately.