A wound left open and later closed when there is no evidence of infection is referred to as what?

The scenario described—in which a wound is initially left open and then closed later without evidence of infection—is classified as delayed closure. This process often occurs when a surgical team wants to assess the wound for signs of infection or when the initial assessment of the wound does not allow for immediate closure due to concerns about healing complications.

Delayed closure allows for the management of potential issues that may arise while the wound is open, such as monitoring for contamination or the presence of necrotic tissue. Once it is determined that the wound is healing properly and that any risk factors have been addressed, the closure can be performed.

On the other hand, primary closure refers to immediate closure of a wound, secondary closure is the process where the wound is allowed to heal on its own without surgical intervention, and tertiary closure (also known as delayed primary closure) generally refers to wounds that are left open for a period before being closed, often to reduce the risk of infection. In this context, delayed closure accurately describes the situation presented in the question.