ABSTRACT
This is variously described as taking place in three or four phases, the most commonly agreed being:
1 the inflammatory phase; 2 the proliferative phase; 3 the remodelling phase (maturing phase).
Occasionally, a haemostatic phase is referred to as occurring before the inflammatory phase, or a destructive phase following inflammation consisting of the cellular cleansing of the wound by macrophages (Fig. 3.1).
