Diseases, Conditions, Diagnostic Procedures (Integumentary) Flashcards
Abscess
Localized collection of pus at the site of an infection (characteristically a staphylococcal infection)
Furuncle
Abscess that originates in a hair follicle; also called “boil”
Carbuncle
Cluster of furuncles in the subcutaneous tissue
Acne
Inflammatory disease of sebaceous follicles of the skin, marked by come dos (blackheads), apples, and pustules (small skin lesion filled with purulent material)
Alopecia
Absence or loss of hair, especially of the head; aka “baldness”
Burn
Tissue injury caused by contact with a thermal, chemical, electrical, or radioactive agent
First-Degree Burn (Superficial)
Mild burn affecting the epidermis and characterized by redness and pain with no blistering or scar formation
Second-Degree Burn (Partial Thickness)
Burn affecting the epidermis and part of the dermis and characterized by redness, blistering or larger bullae, and pain with little or no scarring
Third-Degree Burn (Full Thickness)
Severe burn characterized by destruction of the epidermis and dermis with damage to the subcutaneous layer, leaving the skin charred black or dry white appearance with insensitivity to touch
Carcinoma
Uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body; also called “malignant cells”
Melanoma
Malignant tumor that originates in melanocytes and is considered the most dangerous type of skin cancer, which, if not treated early, becomes difficult to cure and can be fatal
Comedo
Discolored, dried sebum plugging an excretory duct of the skin; also called “blackhead”
Cyst
Closed sac or pouch in or under the skin with a definite wall that contains fluid, semifluid, or solid material
Pilonidal
Growth of hair in a dermoid cyst or in a sinus opening on the skin
Sebaceous
Cyst filled with sebum (fatty material) from a sebaceous gland
Eczema
Redness of skin caused by swelling of the capillaries
Gangrene
Death of tissue, usually resulting from loss of blood supply
Hemorrhage
External or internal loss of a large amount of blood in a short period of time.
[hem/o=blood; -rrhage=bursting forth (of)]
Contusion
Hemorrhage of any size under the skin in which the skin is not broken; aka “bruise”
Ecchymosis
Skin discoloration consisting of a large, irregularly formed hemorrhagic area with colors changing from blue-black to greenish brown or yellow; commonly called “bruise”
Petechia
Minute, pinpoint hemorrhagic spot of the skin that is a smaller version of an ecchymosis
Hematoma
Elevated, localized collection of blood trapped under the skin that usually results from trauma
[hemat=blood; -Oma=tumor]
Hirsutism
Excessive growth of hair in unusual places, especially in women; may be due to hyper secretion of testosterone.
Ichthyosis
Genetic skin disorder in which the skin is dry and scaly, resembling fish skin because of a defect in keratinization
[ichthy/o=dry, scaly; -osis=abnormal condition]
Impetigo
Bacterial skin infection characterized by isolated pustules that become crusted and rupture
Keloid
Overgrowth of scar tissue at the site of a skin injury (especially a wound, surgical incision, or severe burn) caused by excessive collagen formation during the healing process
Psoriasis
Chronic skin disease characterized by itchy red patches covered with silvery scales
Scabies
Contagious skin disease transmitted by the itch mite
Skin lesions
Areas of pathologically altered tissue caused by disease, injury, or a wound resulting from external factors or internal disease
Tinea
Fungal infection whose name commonly indicated the body part affected, such as tinea pedis (athlete’s foot); also called “ringworm”
Ulcer
Lesion of the skin or mucous membranes marked by inflammation, necrosis, and sloughing of damaged tissues
Pressure ulcer
Skin ulceration caused by prolonged pressure, usually in a patient who is bedridden; aka “decubitus ulcer” “bedsore”
Urticaria
Allergic reaction of the skin characterized by eruption of pale red elevated patches that are intensely itchy; aka “wheals or hives”
Abrasion
Scraping or rubbing away of a surface, such as skin, by friction
Verruca
Rounded epidermal growth caused by a virus; aka “wart”
Vesicle
Small blister-like elevation on the skin containing a clear fluid; large vesicles are called “bullae”
Vitiligo
Localized loss of skin pigmentation characterized by milk-white patches; aka “leukoderma”
Wheal
Smooth, slightly elevated skin that is white in the center with a pale red periphery; aka “hives” if itchy
Biopsy (bx)
Removal of a small piece of living tissue from an organ or other part of the body for microscopic examination to confirm or establish a diagnosis, estimated prognosis, or follow the course of a disease.
[bi=life; -opsy=view of]
Skin test
Any test in which a suspected allergen or sensitizer is applied to or injected into the skin to determine the patient’s sensitivity to it
Cryosurgery
Use of sub freezing temperature, commonly with liquid nitrogen, to destroy abnormal tissue cells, such as unwanted, cancerous, or infected tissue
[cry/o=cold]
Debridement
Removal of foreign material, damaged tissue, or cellular debris from a wound or burn to prevent infection and promote healing
Fulguration
Tissue destruction by means of high-frequency electrical current; aka “electrodesiccation”
Incision and Drainage (I&D)
Incision of a lesion, such as an abscess, followed by the drainage of its contents
Mohs surgery
Surgical procedure used primarily to treat skin neoplasms in which tumor tissue fixed in place is removed layer by layer for microscopic examination until the entire tumor is removed
Skin graft
Surgical procedure to transplant healthy tissue by applying it to an injured site
Allograft
Transplantation of healthy tissue from one person to another person; aka “homograft”
[allo-=other, differing from normal; -graft=transplantation]
Autograft
Transplantation of healthy tissue from one site to another site in the same individual
[auto-=self, own; -graft=transplantation]
Synthetic graft
Transplantation of artificial skin produced from collagen fibers arranged in a lattice pattern
Xenografts
Transplantation (dermis only) from a foreign donor (usually a pig) and transferred to a human; also called “heterograft”
[sen/o=fo right, strange; -graft=transplantation]
Skin resurfacing
Procedure that repairs damaged skin, acne scars, fine or deep wrinkles, or tattoos or improves skin tone irregularities through the use of topical chemicals, abrasion, or laser
Chemical peel
Use of chemicals to remove outer layers of skin to treat acne scarring and general keratosis as well as for cosmetic purposes to remove fine wrinkles on the face; aka “chemabrasion”
Cutaneous laser
Any of several laser treatments employed for cosmetic and plastic surgery
[cutane=skin; -ous=pertaining to]
Dermabrasion
Removal of acne scars, nevi, tattoos, or fine wrinkles on the skin through the use of sandpaper, wire brushes, or other abrasive materials on the epidermal layer
