Which stage of the pressure ulcer involves partial-thickness loss of the dermis and manifests as a red-pink, open ulcer without slough?

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Multiple Choice

Which stage of the pressure ulcer involves partial-thickness loss of the dermis and manifests as a red-pink, open ulcer without slough?

The stage is determined by how deeply the tissue is lost. When there is partial-thickness loss of the dermis presenting as a shallow open wound with a red-pink wound bed and no slough, that fits Stage II. This means the skin has broken and the dermis is involved, but deeper structures are not exposed. It contrasts with Stage I, which shows non-blanchable redness of intact skin, and with deeper stages where full-thickness loss exposes subcutaneous tissue, muscle, or bone. The absence of slough helps confirm that the wound bed isn’t covered by dead tissue, which would indicate a higher stage or an unstageable wound.

The stage is determined by how deeply the tissue is lost. When there is partial-thickness loss of the dermis presenting as a shallow open wound with a red-pink wound bed and no slough, that fits Stage II. This means the skin has broken and the dermis is involved, but deeper structures are not exposed. It contrasts with Stage I, which shows non-blanchable redness of intact skin, and with deeper stages where full-thickness loss exposes subcutaneous tissue, muscle, or bone. The absence of slough helps confirm that the wound bed isn’t covered by dead tissue, which would indicate a higher stage or an unstageable wound.

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