If a pressure ulcer presents with slough and necrotic tissue, it is classified as:

When a pressure ulcer is classified as Stage 3, it signifies that there is full-thickness tissue loss. At this stage, the ulcer typically reveals subcutaneous fat, and slough or necrotic tissue may be present, indicating that there is significant damage below the skin surface. The presence of slough, which is a type of dead tissue that is usually yellow or white, and necrotic tissue, which is tissue that has died due to lack of blood flow, highlights the severity of injury and indicates that the wound is advanced in its progression.

In contrast, Stage 1 ulcers are characterized by non-blanchable erythema of intact skin, indicating localized redness without skin breakdown, while Stage 2 is defined by partial-thickness skin loss involving the epidermis and possibly the dermis, presenting as a shallow open ulcer without slough. Stage 4 ulcers entail full-thickness destruction with exposed bone, tendon, or muscle, often accompanied by extensive necrotic tissue. Therefore, the presence of both slough and necrotic tissues in a pressure ulcer aligns perfectly with the classification of Stage 3.