Certified Surgical Technologist Wound Closure and Postoperative Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Primary intention wound healing is characterized by:
- Leaving the wound open to heal from the base
- Approximating wound edges with sutures or staples (Correct answer)
- Granulation tissue filling a large open defect
- Placing a skin graft over the wound
Correct answer: Approximating wound edges with sutures or staples
Primary intention healing occurs when wound edges are directly approximated (sutured or stapled), resulting in minimal scarring and faster healing.
Question 2: A Penrose drain operates by which mechanism?
- Active suction from a wall unit
- Negative pressure from a bulb reservoir
- Passive gravity and capillary action (Correct answer)
- Positive pressure instillation
Correct answer: Passive gravity and capillary action
A Penrose drain is a soft rubber tube that uses passive gravity and capillary action to allow fluid to drain from the wound — no suction device is needed.
Question 3: A Jackson-Pratt (JP) drain maintains drainage by:
- Passive gravity flow
- Negative pressure created by compressing the bulb reservoir (Correct answer)
- Continuous wall suction
- Positive pressure from a pump
Correct answer: Negative pressure created by compressing the bulb reservoir
The Jackson-Pratt drain uses a collapsible bulb that creates low-level negative pressure (suction) when compressed and reconnected to the drain tubing.
Question 4: Wound dehiscence is defined as:
- Purulent infection of a surgical wound
- Separation of the approximated wound edges (Correct answer)
- Excessive fibrotic scar tissue formation
- Undermining of wound edges by bacteria
Correct answer: Separation of the approximated wound edges
Dehiscence refers to the partial or complete separation of wound edges after closure, most commonly seen within the first postoperative week.
Question 5: Which systemic condition MOST significantly impairs postoperative wound healing?
- Young adult age
- Adequate preoperative nutritional status
- Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (Correct answer)
- Normal body mass index
Correct answer: Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
Uncontrolled diabetes impairs wound healing through microvascular disease, impaired neutrophil function, and altered collagen synthesis, greatly increasing infection and dehiscence risk.
Question 6: What type of wound dressing is most appropriate for a clean, sutured surgical wound on postoperative day 1?
- Wet-to-dry gauze dressing
- Dry sterile dressing (Correct answer)
- Negative pressure wound therapy device
- Biological (collagen) wound dressing
Correct answer: Dry sterile dressing
A dry sterile dressing protects a clean closed surgical wound from contamination during the initial healing phase without introducing moisture that could macerate tissue.
Certified Surgical Technologist Wound Closure and Postoperative Management 2
Primary intention wound healing is characterized by: