Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of chronic wounds?

Chronic wounds are defined by their prolonged healing duration and the underlying mechanisms that often impede the natural healing process. One key characteristic of chronic wounds is their failure to heal in a timely and orderly manner, which signifies that healing is stalled, indicating issues such as poor perfusion or persistent infection.

The presence of necrotic tissue and excessive granulation tissue formation are also common in chronic wounds. Necrotic tissue can hinder the healing process by providing a site for infection, while excessive granulation tissue might disrupt normal tissue formation and lead to complications like hypertrophic scarring.

In contrast, rapid epithelial regeneration is not typical of chronic wounds. Instead, chronic wounds often exhibit delayed or impaired epithelialization, which contributes to their ongoing non-healing status. This slower regeneration is a hallmark of chronicity, distinguishing these wounds from acute ones, which typically demonstrate a more rapid and organized healing response. Thus, the characteristic of rapid epithelial regeneration does not align with the defining traits of chronic wounds.