Histologic grading of the experimental healing wound

To obtain a histologic means of comparison of healing wounds, a numerical grading system was established, based on the known histologic features of the healing wound. This method of analysis was then applied to 2 series of animals with experimental wounds (1) closed with different types of suture materials and (2) in normal and vitamin C deficiency states. Tensile strength determinations, rate of closure of surface wounds, and analysis of hydroxyproline in wound tissue give numerical results which demonstrate a comparable rise in strength and collagen with observed closure of the wound. 1-5,7 No attempt, however, has been made previously to quantitate the histologic sequence of wound healing on a similar basis. Method An arbitrary system of grading was established, as shown in Table 1. The cellular elements of the wound were counted or estimated on the basis of the number per high-power field to obtain a 0 to 4+