Concepts of Pathology

Question 1

What is inflammation?

What are the 3 purposes of inflammation?

Answer 1

A cellular response that occurs when cells are injured or damaged, irrespective of the cause.

The three purposes of inflammation are:
- To neutralise and destroy harmful agents
- To limit the spread of harmful agents to other tissues
- To prepare damaged tissues for repair

Question 2

What are the three stages of the inflammatory response?

Answer 2

Fluid phase
- Vasodilation and increased vascular permeability caused by histamines, prostaglandins and other cytokines

Neutrophil phase
- Recruitment and emigration of white blood cells by chemotaxis towards increased concentrations of cytokines and complement

Macrophage phase
- Phagocytosis of antigens and debris by neutrophils and macrophages

Question 3

What are the signs and symptoms of inflammation?

Answer 3

Pain
Swelling
Heat
Redness
Loss of function of region

Question 4

What is infection?

Answer 4

A disease state that results from the presence of pathogens in or on the body

Question 5

What are the systemic symptoms of infection?

Answer 5

Fatigue, Fever, Poor appetite, Altered vital signs

Sepsis (systemic inflammatory response syndrome)

Question 6

What is morphological change?

Is it always due to pathology?

Answer 6

Cellular change

It is not always due to pathology but can happen normally in adaptation to environmental change

Question 7

What is obstruction?

What are some possible physiological effects of obstruction?

Answer 7

An anomaly that compromises or prevents flow because of abnormal narrowing or blockage

Possible physiological effects of obstruction include:
- Nerve compression causing paraesthesia (pins and needles)
- Blood vessel obstruction leading to ischaemia and risk of cellular death
- Cellular change due to inflammation and infection