Inflammation Flashcards
A tissue reaction to irritation, infection, or injury marked by localized heat, swelling, redness, pain and sometimes loss of function.
-only occurs on vascularized tissue
Inflammation
Inflammation of connective tissues
Phlegmon
- Protective defense mechanism
- Isolates and destroys the invader
- Cleans up the debris to promote healing
- DOES NOT include REPAIR
Functions of Inflammation
- Swelling
- Heat
- Redness
- Pain
- Altered function
Cardinal signs and symptoms of Inflammation
Swelling
Tumor
Heat
Calor
Redness
Rubor
Pain
Dolor
Altered function
Functio laesa
- Physical irritants (trauma, burns, radiation)
- Chemical irritants (irritating gases)
- Infectious agents (viruses, bacteria)
- Immunological reactions (autoimmune disease)
e. g. rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, erythematosus
Causes of Inflammation
Increased permeability of vessels
Cause of swelling (tumor)
Vasodilation
Cause of heat, cause of redness (calor, rubor)
Nervous stimulation and swelling
Cause of pain (dolor)
Swelling and pain
Cause of altered function (functio laesa)
Each type of inflammation begins as this, lasts a few minute to a few days, regenerates tissues and restores their functions, scars may form, may progress to chronic.
Acute inflammation
- Can last from days to years.
- Active inflammation, tissue destruction, and the presents of an inflammatory exudate containing lymphocytes and macrophages.
Chronic inflammation
This triggers tissue mast cells (WBC) release > release histamine > Vasodilation > hyperemia > formation of inflammatory exudate> edema > neutrophils and macrophages move toward the site to destroy debris and bacteria.
Tissue injury
Increased diameter of blood vessel capillaries.
Vasodilation
Increased blood flow to an area. active is arterial blood, passive is venous blood. (This brings more WBCs to the area).
Hypperemia
Phagocytic white blood cells moving towards an area of inflammation in response to the release of chemical mediators by neutrophils, monocytes, and injured tissues.
Chemotaxis
A process in which phagocytes engulf and destroy microorganisms, other foreign antigens, and cell debris.
Phagocytosis
Escape from the blood vessel into the injured tissue by diapedesis to perform phagocytosis.
Neutrophils
Squeezing through a capillary wall.
Diapedesis
Production of discharge and pus.
Suppuration
Thick opaque, usually yellowish white fluid formed by suppuration, composed of exudate containing leukocytes, tissue debris, and microorganisms.
Pus
Specific pathologic structural or functional changes, or both brought about by disease or injury.
Lesion
Localized, circumscribed accumulation of pus.
Abscess
Open sore or lesion of skin (epidermis) or mucous membrane accompanied by sloughing of inflamed necrotic tissue.
Ulcer
Blister-like elevation of skin containing serous fluid.
Vesicle
Abscess or pyogenic (producing puss) infection of sweat glands or hair follicles.
Furuncle (boil)
Several communicating boils of skin and subcutaneous tissues with production and discharge of pus and dead tissue.
Carbuncle
A small elevation of skin containing pus.
Pustule
- Abscess
- Ulcer
- Vesicle
- Furuncle
- Carbuncle
- Pustule
Inflammatory Lesions
Thick liquid around infection site due to blood fluid that oozes through the tissues into a cavity or to the surface.
It is a mixture of proteins, leukocytes, and tissue debris; proportion of proteins and inflammatory cells vary.
Exudate
Clear serum like fluid; primarily fluid, with small amount of proteins, implies lesser injury (damage).
e.g.- skin blisters, cold sores.
Serous
Mostly inflammatory cells (neutrophils), tissue debris and pyogenic bacteria (pus).
Purulent
Increased number of red blood cells (due to damaged leaking blood vessels), often infected, very serious condition.
Hemorrhagic
Rich in fibrinogen; coagulates and forms fibrin; produces a sticky film on the surface of inflamed tissue; indicates larger injury.
e.g.- strep throat, bacterial pneumonia
Fibrinous
- Serous
- Purulent
- Hemorrhagic
- Fibrinous
Inflammatory exudates
Exudation of clear fluid with few cells.
Serous inflammation
Fibrin-rich exudate.
Fibrinous inflammation
Exudate rich in pus.
Purulent inflammation
Loss of epithelium resulting in ulcerous lesion.
Ulcerative inflammation
Ulceration and a pseudomembrane over the ulcer.
Pseudomembranous inflammation
Specialized form of chronic inflammation characterized by the formation of granulomas (accumulation of chronic inflammatory cells).
e.g., tuberculosis
Granulomatous inflammation
The termination of inflammatory response with the affected part returning to its normal healthy state.
Resolution
The replacement of damaged cells with identical cells; leads to restoration of normal function.
e.g., skin cells replaced by epithelium, bone cells replaced by osteocytes.
- if this isn’t possible, the tissue undergoes a process called repair.
Regeneration
Physical or mechanical restoration of damaged or diseased tissue by growth of healthy new cells, not necessarily the same type, or by surgery; results in scar formation.
Repair
A form of repaired tissue consisting of connective tissue, does not restore function (no blood vessels or nerve endings). May occur in any tissue.
e.g. - brain, heart
Scar (cicatrix)
