ATI Wound Care Flashcards
abrasion
- superficial, partial-thickness wound with little bleeding
- caused by rubbing or scraping the epidermis
approximated
closed, with the wound’s edges touching each other
arterial insufficiency
inadequate blood flow through the arteries
atrophy
decrease in size, wasting away, or progressive decline of a body part or tissue
bulla
- blister, greater than 1 cm in diameter that is filled with clear fluid
- seen with burns
burn
thermal injury to tissues
carcinoma
malignant growth made up of epithelial cells that tends to infiltrate surrounding tissue (metastasis)
malignant
cancerous
contusion
- bruise
- injury to tissues with skin discoloration from blood seepage just under the skin and without breakage of the skin
cyst
abnormal, closed epithelium-lined sac that contains a liquid or a semisolid substance
debride
remove devitalized (dead) tissue from a wound
devitalized
dead
decubitous ulcer
somewhat outdated term for pressure ulcer
pressure ulcer
older term for pressure injury
pressure injury
impaired skin integrity and/or formation of a wound due to prolonged pressure
dehiscence
opening of the edges of a surgical wound with partial or total separation of wound layers
dermatitis
inflammation of the skin
dermis
- layer of the skin above the subcutaneous fat
- composed of collagen and elastic fibers
drainage
seepage or withdrawal of fluids from a wound or cavity
ecchymosis
hemorrhagic spot (bruise) caused by bleeding under the skin and irregularly formed in blue, purple, or yellow patches
edema
accumulation of excess fluid, causing swelling in the cells, in interstitial spaces of tissues, or in potential spaces inside the body
erythema
reddening of the skin caused by congestion of the capillaries
eschar
black or dark-colored slough produced by a thermal burn, a corrosive application, or gangrene
slough
hard crust or mass of dead tissue in a wound
exudate
material such as fluid with a high content of protein and cellular debris that has escaped from blood vessels and has been deposited in tissues or on tissue surfaces, usually as a result of inflammation
fistula
any abnormal tubelike passage in the body
granulation
development of red, moist tissue made up of new blood vessels, indicating the progression of wound healing
hematoma
- localized collection of blood under tissues
- appears as a swelling or mass often characterized by a bluish discoloration
inflammation
- protective response occurring in reaction to any type of bodily injury or destruction of tissues
- characterized by redness and swelling and sometimes serous exudate
irrigate
wash out with fluid
keloid
enlarged, elevated scar, due to excess collagen
laceration
a cut; torn wound
maceration
softening or dissolution of tissue after lengthy exposure to fluid
macule
discoloration of the skin, less than 1 cm in diameter and not raised
melanoma
malignant mole or tumor on the skin with atypical melanocytes in the epidermis
melanocytes
pigment-forming cells
necrosis
death of areas of tissue or bone
nodule
small, solid mass more than 1 cm in diameter
pallor
paleness; a decrease or absence of skin coloration
papule
small, circumscribed, solid, elevated skin lesion
petechiae
minute reddish or purplish spots containing blood that appear in skin or mucous membranes as a result of hemorrhage in the dermal layers (singular form: petechia)
plaque
an elevated patch on the skin, such as the characteristic scales of psoriasis
pruritus
itching
puncture
wound made by a sharp pointed object penetrating the skin
purpura
condition characterized by various skin manifestations, including hemorrhages into the skin, mucous membranes, internal organs, and other tissues
purulent
- wound drainage that is yellow, green, or brown and a sign that infection is present
- containing pus
pus
yellowish liquid product of inflammation or infection
pustule
small, elevated skin lesion that contains pus
rash
skin eruption of small, raised lesions that are typically red in color, often caused by allergies or other inflammatory processes
scar
mark that remains on the skin after a wound has healed
serous
wound drainage presenting as clear, watery plasma
shear
force exerted parallel to the skin resulting from gravity and resistance (friction) between the patient and a surface (i.e. when a patient slumps in a chair)
skin tear
traumatic wound resulting from separation of the epidermis from the dermis
slough
mass of soft, stringy dead tissue that can be white or yellow in appearance
stasis
- stagnation of the flow of body fluid
- most commonly used to describe the impaired flow of blood back to the heart from the peripheral circulation (venous stasis)
venous insufficiency
- inadequacy of the venous valves and impairment of venous return from the lower limbs (venous stasis)
- often with edema and sometimes with skin ulcers (particularly at the ankles)
vesicle
small blister that contains liquid
wheal
- irregularly shaped, slightly elevated area
- small, localized area of edema on the surface of the skin
- typical of allergic reactions (hives)
