Integumentary Flashcards
A flat, small (1 centimeter or less) lesion with color change. Seen in rubeola, rubella, scarlet fever, roseola infantum.
Macule
An elevated, sharply
circumscribed, small (1
centimeter), colored lesion. May
be pink, tan, red, or any
variation. Seen in ringworm and
psoriasis.
Papule
A bulging, small (under 1 centimeter), sharply defined lesion filled with clear, free fluid. Seen as groups in herpes simplex, varicella, poison ivy, and herpes zoster.
Vesicle/blister
Large (over 1 centimeter) vesicles. Seen
on soles and palms in scarlet fever and
in sunburn.
Bullae
An elevated, sharply circumscribed lesion (less than 1 centimeter) filled with pus. Seen in impetigo, acne, and staphylococcus infections.
Pustule
An elevated, white to pink edematous
lesion that is unstable and associated
with pruritus. Wheals are evanescent –
they appear and disappear quickly.
Seen in mosquito bites and hives
Wheal
Tiny, reddish purple, sharply circumscribed spots of hemorrhage in the superficial layers of the skin or epidermis. Petechiae may indicate severe systemic disease such as meningococcemia, bacterial endocarditis, or non-thrombocytopenic purpura and must be reported immediately.
Petechiae
This type of wound exudate is also known
• Thin, clear and a little thicker than water,
as the fresh blood that comes from a recent
serous drainage occurs during the healing
wound, and is characterized by a bright red
process of the wound. Most types of
color. Most commonly, it is seen in partial
wounds excrete some amount of serous
thickness and full thickness wounds.
drainage, and is usually not anything to
Sanguineous drainage should not be
worry about. However, if the serous
common in wounds after a few hours or
drainage being gets increasingly heavy or
days, and this type of drainage later on may
comes at a rate to regularly soak through
be indicative of trauma to the wound site.
dressings, it may indicate a larger issue, and
the wound should be examined by a
clinician.
Sanguineous
Thin, clear and a little thicker than water,
as the fresh blood that comes from a recent
serous drainage occurs during the healing
wound, and is characterized by a bright red
process of the wound. Most types of
color. Most commonly, it is seen in partial
wounds excrete some amount of serous
thickness and full thickness wounds.
drainage, and is usually not anything to
Sanguineous drainage should not be
worry about. However, if the serous
common in wounds after a few hours or
drainage being gets increasingly heavy or
days, and this type of drainage later on may
comes at a rate to regularly soak through
be indicative of trauma to the wound site.
dressings, it may indicate a larger issue, and
the wound should be examined by a
clinician.
Serous drainage
Similar to serous drainage in
• Often described by patients as
thickness, seropurulent
being “milky” in appearance,
drainage is cloudier in its
the purulent drainage is almost
transparency and can be slightly
always a sure sign of infection.
yellow or tan in appearance.
This type of exudate can be
This drainage usually means
green, yellow, brown or white in
that the wound has an infection
color and is a thick liquid.
and will need further treatme
Seropurulent
Often described by patients as
thickness, seropurulent
being “milky” in appearance,
drainage is cloudier in its
the purulent drainage is almost
transparency and can be slightly
always a sure sign of infection.
yellow or tan in appearance.
This type of exudate can be
This drainage usually means
green, yellow, brown or white in
that the wound has an infection
color and is a thick liquid.
Purulent
There is also a lack of smell when the dressing has been removed.
No odoe
An odor is only detectable at close proximity to the patient and when the dressing is removed.
Slight odor
Smell while dressing is on the patient
Moderate odor
This is when an odor is discernible within 6 to 10 feet of the patient and the dressing is removed.
Strong odor
