Inflammation and Wound Healing Flashcards
What is inflammation?
Inflammation:
- a local physiological response to tissue injury.
- primarily a protective response
- it is a complex reaction in vascularised connective tissue, leading to the accumulation of fluid and leucocytes in extravascular tissue.
What is the purpose of inflammation?
The purpose of inflammation is to destroy, dilute, or wall off any injurious agent.
What would happen without inflammation?
- wounds and organs would never heal.
2. infections would go unchecked.
What happens during inflammation that can potentially be harmful to humans?
Life threatening hypersensitivity reactions.
What diseases can be induced by chronic inflammation?
Rheumatoid arthritis, Chron’s disease
What can repair by fibrosis lead to?
Disfiguring scars
What are the two types of inflammation?
Acute and Chronic
What is acute inflammation?
The initial rapid and often short lived series of tissue reactions to injury.
What is chronic inflammation?
The subsequent and often prolonged tissue reactions following the initial response.
What are the principle causes of acute inflammation?
1) infections
2) hypersensitivity reactions
3) physical agents
4) irritant and corrosive chemicals
5) Foreign bodies
What are the physical characteristics of inflammation?
Redness (Rubor) Heat (Color) Swelling (Tumor) Pain (Dolor) Loss of function
What are the two phases of acute inflammation?
(1) Vascular Phase (2 steps)
(2) Exudative and Cellular Phase
What are the two steps that are involved in the vascular phase of acute inflammation?
(i) Vasodilation
(ii) Increased mobility
What happens as a result of Vasodilation?
Blood flow increases, thus heat and redness are generated.
What else increases during the vascular phase?
The permeability of blood vessels
