It is important to monitor the early stages of postoperative would repair in order to identify those problems associated with impaired healing. Many of the crucial cellular responses of early wound healing, such as inflammatory infiltration, angiogenesis and re‐epitheliazation, are made possible through the action of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Expression of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 is elevated in acute wounds, and still greater levels are found in chronic wounds, indicating that uncontrolled proteolysis is a characteristic of retarded healing. Therefore, comparative measurements of MMPs may be used to monitor the progression of early would healing. To investigate this, wound fluids and sera were collected from mastectomy and colectomy patients throughout early stages of repair, and the temporal expression profile established. Wounds which were healing well expressed maximal levels of MMP‐9 at 24 h, followed by a significant decline by 48 h. Persistent elevation of MMP‐9 expression was associated with infected and chronic wounds, and was identified in postoperative wounds by the absence of the significant decline between 24 and 48 h. Measurement of MMP‐9 in postoperative wound fluids, therefore, provides an early indicator of impaired healing, which may be evaluated non‐invasively within 48 h of closure.