Surgical wounds originate when a surgeon cuts into tissue with a surgical tool, such as a scalpel. The size and placement of a surgical wound will depend entirely on the procedure performed due to varying incision requirements.
Regardless, most surgical interventions aim for wound closure with primary repair. Tissue edges are typically brought together and held in place by various modalities, such as sutures or staples. However, this result isn’t always the case, as some wounds may be left open to heal secondarily or may fail to heal primarily. This piece will discuss the surgical wound timeline, various complications of a surgical wound, signs/symptoms of infection, along with the recovery process for patients.