Nursing Pathophysiology

Running head: NURSING PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
NURSING PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
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1NURSING PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
Introduction
Pressure ulcers, commonly known as bed sores, are caused due to resting over prolonged
periods, such as lying or sitting in a single position for long hours resulting in disruption of blood
circulation and associated loss of tissue functioning and integrity. Pressure ulcers need to be
treated based on their various degrees of severity. Hence for administering appropriate wound
healing, especially of an 89 year old patient with stage 3 decubitus ulcer, the following aspects
have been considered (Moore & Cowman, 2015).
Discussion
First-intention and Second-intention Healing
Wound healing or the processes of closure, occurs with through various steps, which can
be primarily categorized as first and second intention healing. Primary wound closure, also
known as first intention healing is one of the quickest processes of wound healing, and is
prevalent across minor injuries such as paper cuts, negligible cutaneous wounds or stage 1
pressure ulcers and surgical incisions (Theoret, 2016). The reason for such rapid healing is the
fact that keratinocytes and fresh blood vessels will be required to cover only a minor distance of
wound closure. Secondary wound closure or second-intention healing is a more prolonged
processes for deeper and severe wounds and is characterized formulation of a granulation tissue
matrix round the wound resulting in greater scar tissue formation. Hence, it is evident that the
stage 3 ulcer wound in the 89 year old patient will encounter second intention healing due to its
increased severity (Bischofberger et al., 2015).