Acute Inflammation 1 Flashcards
What is the definition of inflammation?
A fundamental response maintaining integrity of an organism - a dynamic homeostatic mechanism in higher organisms
What occurs during inflammation?
A series of protective changes occurring in living tissue as a response to injury
What are the five cardinal signs of inflammation?
Rubor, calor, tumor, dolor and loss of function
What are common aetiologies of inflammation? (Hint: MMCPDH)
Microorganisms Mechanical Chemical Physical Dead tissue Hypersensitivity
Where does inflammation occur? What does it consist of?
Microcirculation - capillary beds, extracellular space and lymphatic channels
What forces control fluid flux?
Starling forces
Pathogenesis of acute inflammation can be summarised in five steps. What are they?
- Radius of blood vessel increases
- Permeability of vessels increases
- Polymorph movement into extracellular space
- Laminar flow pattern in flood
- Resolution of inflammation
What effect does an increased blood vessel radius have? And to what degree?
Poiseuille’s Law shows that flow is exponentially related to radius. Increase in radius causes significant increase in flow
What effect does increased vessel permeability have?
Increases endothelial leak (exudant) consisting of proteins including immunoglobulins and fibrinogen -causes oedema
Why does blood display a laminar flow pattern?
It is a non-Newtonian fluid
During inflammation the erythrocytes adopt what position?
Rouleaux formation - bunched in centre
Outline the process of leukocyte movement during an inflammatory response
Margination - neutrophil polymorphonuclear leukocytes (NPL) move to endothelial aspect of lumen
Pavementing - NPLs adhere to endothelium
Emigration - NPLs actively move out of lumen into extracellular space
What is diapedesis?
Movement of leukocytes though extracellular space to site of infection/trauma
What are the benefits to acute inflammation?
Its a rapid non-specific response to general insult - protective function
What are the outcomes of acute inflammation?
- Resolution
- Suppuration (pus formation)
- Chronic inflammation
