Wound healing: delayed primary closure: practice question

A General Surgery question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

General Surgery · Wound healing: delayed primary closure

Sample item

A contaminated laparotomy wound after faecal peritonitis is left open after thorough washout. After about four days it looks clean and is sutured. What is this called?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Delayed primary closure (tertiary intention)

Delayed primary closure is used for contaminated wounds, allowing host defences to clear bacteria before closure at about three to five days. Primary intention is immediate closure, and secondary intention is healing by granulation and contraction. This approach reduces surgical site infection in contaminated wounds.

Option by option

  • A. Skin graft

    No graft was used.

  • B. Primary intention

    Immediate closure is primary intention.

  • C. Secondary intention

    Secondary intention involves no closure.

  • D. Delayed primary closure (tertiary intention) (correct)

    Correct. Closure after an interval of observation is tertiary intention.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More General Surgery questions

Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is D, Delayed primary closure (tertiary intention). Delayed primary closure is used for contaminated wounds, allowing host defences to clear bacteria before closure at about three to five days.

Why is "Skin graft" not the answer?

No graft was used.

Why is "Primary intention" not the answer?

Immediate closure is primary intention.

Why is "Secondary intention" not the answer?

Secondary intention involves no closure.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Wound healing: delayed primary closure in General Surgery. Primary intention is immediate closure, and secondary intention is healing by granulation and contraction. This approach reduces surgical site infection in contaminated wounds.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Wound healing: delayed primary closure?

Learn classic signs and eponyms alongside what they diagnose. Then use the flashcards and the other General Surgery questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.