Delaying closure to allow infection control is known as which wound healing concept?

• A. Primary
• B. Secondary
• C. Tertiary Intention
• D. Secondary Intention

Answer: (C)

Delaying closure to allow infection control is tertiary intention (delayed primary closure). In this approach, after initial wound cleaning and debridement, the wound is left open to permit drainage and to let infection decrease. Once the wound is clean and the risk of infection is minimized, it is closed surgically. This combines the benefits of prompt closure with the safety of treating contamination first. It differs from immediate closure (primary intention), which is done right away, and from healing by secondary intention, which is left to close on its own without surgical closure, often taking longer and resulting in a larger scar.