Acute Inflammation 1

Question 1

What is acute inflammation and what does it allow?

Answer 1

Series of protective changes which occur in living tissue as a response to injury. It maintains the integrity of the organism and is a dynamic homeostatic mechanism.

Question 2

What are the cardinal signs of inflammation?

Answer 2

Redness, (calor) heat, swelling, pain, loss of function

Question 3

What are the causes of inflammation?

Answer 3

• Micro-organisms i.e. pathogenic organisms bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites
• Mechanical trauma to tissue including sterile (surgery)
• Chemical changes
• Extreme Physical conditions
• Dead tissue- cell necrosis irritates adjacent tissue
• Hypersensitivity

Question 4

What is the process of acute inflammation?

Answer 4

Series of microscopic events which is localised to the affected tissue
Events take place in the microcirculation

Question 5

Outline the 3 steps of microvascular change

Answer 5

• change in vessel radius/flow
• change in vessel permeability
• movement of neutrophils from the vessel to the extravascular space

Question 6

Describe the 3 steps of microvascular change in detail.

Answer 6

Change in vessel radius/flow:
-Transient (short lived) arteriolar constriction
-Local arteriolar dilation
-Relaxation of smooth muscle of vessel
“triple response”
—This increases local blood flow, causes rubber and calor

Change in vessel permeability:

• Localised vascular response
• Endothelial leak produced by chemical mediators
• Exudation of plasma and proteins such as fibrinogen and immunoglobulin
• Oedema causes swelling which reduces function and causes pain

Movement of neutrophils from the vessel to the extravascular space:

• Neutrophils move to endothelial aspect of lumen: MARGINATION
• Neutrophils adhere to endothelia- PAVEMENTING
• Neutrophils squeeze between endothelia to outside tissue- EMIGRATION

Question 7

List the systemic effects of acute inflammaiton

Answer 7

• Pyrexia
• Malaise
• Neutrophilia
• Septic shock

Question 8

Describe the complications of acute inflammation

Answer 8

GRANULATION TISSUE

• this occurs after a large amount of damage, or an ability to remove dirt from wound
• capillaries grow into the inflammatory mass
• allows access of plasma proteins, macrophages and fibroblasts.
• fibrolasts lay down collagen to repair the damage

HEALING AND REPAIR
SCAR FORMATION

Question 9

How can the process of acute inflammation be altered to the detriment of the patient?

Answer 9

Systemic infection results in
-SPREAD TO BLOODSTREAM: SEPSIS.

• bacteremia
• septicaemia
• toxaemia

Question 10

What are the benefits of acute inflammation?

Answer 10

• rapid response to a non-specific insult
• cardinal signs and loss of function to protect site
• neutrophils destroy pathogens and denature antigens for macrophages
• plasma proteins localise the prcess
• resolution and return to normal