Inflmmation Flashcards
What is inflammation?
A homeostatically controlled response that is fundamental to maintaining the integrity of an organism.
It is a series of protective changes that occur in living tissue as a result of injury.
Examples of different types of inflammation
Pneumonia
Appendicitis
What are the cardinal signs of inflammation?
Red (rubor) Hot (calor) Swollen (tumor) Painful (Dolor) Loss of function
What are some other symptoms of short or long term acute inflammation?
Pyrexia Nausea Neutrophilia Lymphadenopathy Enlargement of lymph nodes weight loss Anaemia
What causes inflammation?
Micro-organisms Mechanical trauma Chemical agents Physical conditions Dead tissue Hypersensitivity
How is acute inflammation medicated?
Endothelial membrane cells
Molecules released from cells
Molecules inside cells
Molecules in the plasma
Examples of molecules released from cells that can be used to mediate acute inflammation
Histamine prostaglandins Cytokines Nitric oxide Oxygen free radicles
There are a few process that are key to sustaining inflammation, these are?
Blood coagulation pathway
Fibrinolysis
Kinin system
Complement cascade
Describe the first step in acute inflammation.
Change in vessel radius and therefore flow. Immediately after an injury the artery consists before quickly dilating. (Triple response). Cells which usually flow along the centre of the vessel move so that they RBC clump together and the WBCs move along the outside. The movement of the WBCs is called margination, pavementing can also occur when the neutrophils adhere to the endothelium.
Describe the second step in acute inflammation.
Change in the permeability of the vessel wall. This occurs in the microvascular bed, chemical mediated act on the wall and cause them to leak. This leak is called an endothelial leak. As a result plasma moves from the capillaries into the extravascular space in a process called exudation. Exudation causes oedema and can cause pain and loss of function. If you loss too much fluid then the rate of flow slows which is called stasis.
Describe the third step in acute inflammation.
Movement of neutrophils from the vessel to the extravascular space. This is called emigration.
What is the first outcome of inflammation ?
Resolution - Inflammation ends when the inciting agent is isolated and destroyed. Macrophages phagocyte debris. Epithelial surface regenerates and the vascular changes return to normal.
What is the second outcome of inflammation ?
Suppuration - Pus formation. The membrane that surrounds the pus is pyogenic. A collection of pus will form an abscess, these can be locule and multiloculate. They will come to a point and discharge the pus causing an abscess to collapse and heal. In a multiloculated abscess pus will burst through the pyogenic membrane and from a new cavity.
When pus is found ….. it is called a …… ?
Gall bladder or pleural cavity - Empyema
Blood - Pyaemia.
What is the third outcome of inflammation ?
Organisation. Granulation tissue forms, consisting of new capillaries, fibroblasts, collagen and macrophages. It leads to fibrosis and formation of a scar. Angiogenesis is the formation of new vessels and it is stimulated by VEGF and enzyme secretion. Angiogenesis allows blood to enter the damages tissue.
