Timing of early excision and grafting is not exact. Many wounds benefit from 3 to 7 days of conservative management while the tissue in the zone of stasis declares itself as either viable or not. With the exception of wounds over a joint, if the tissue appears able to heal in less than 2 to 3 weeks, surgical management is likely unnecessary. Those wounds that do not require excision have a good vascular supply providing a pink or white and shiny base with rapid capillary refill. These are characteristics of superficial partial-thickness burns, which do well with local wound care and time. When indicated, as in obvious full-thickness burns, excision and grafting should be performed as soon as the patient is stabilized. Ideally, this is within 5 days and certainly within 1 week. Data
suggest that morbidity, length of stay, local infection, and sepsis are more common if wounds needing excision are treated conservatively beyond 1 week.