Integumentary Flashcards
What is the largest organ in the body?
Skin
15-20% of body weight
What are the layers of the skin?
- epidermis
- dermis
- sucutaneous tissue
Definition
Hair that is thick, coarse, and pigmented
terminal hair
definition
Hair that is short and fine
vellus hair
Where are sebaceous glands NOT found?
palms and soles
What is the function of sebum?
- lubricates skin
- protects against bacteria and fungus
What is the function of eccrine glands?
helps control body temperature
Open on the skin
Where are apocrine glands found? What stimulates them?
a. axillary and genital areas
b. stimulated by emotional stress
open into hair follicles
What happens to hair follicle density and metabolism as a person ages?
decreases
What causes reddening of the skin?
Increased blood flow with an increase in oxyhemoglobin to the skin and capillaries
What causes peripheral cyanosis?
Reduced blood flow to the skin and loss of oxygen to tissues
What causes central cyanosis?
Reduced oxygen level in the blood
What can central cyanosis cause?
- advanced lung disease
- congenital heart disease
- abnormal Hgb
What are the types of tissue union?
- primary (first intention)
- secondary
- tertiary (delayed primary)
Describe first intension/primary tissue healing.
- no major loss of connective tissue
- wound is not contaminated
- closure within 3-7 days
Describe secondary healing.
- full thickness wound
- little epithelialization present
Chronic wounds, pressure injuries, venous ulcers, other open wounds
Describe tertiary healing (delayed healing).
- leaving the wound open to optimize drainage and granulation… closed with sutures, staples, etc
- used for contaminated tissue and when wound healing has to be delayed
- closure will result in too much tension
- closes within 5-7 days of injury
What type of wound usually heals without scarring?
epidermal wound
superficial or partial-thickness wound
Do dry or moist wounds epithelize quicker?
moist wounds
What are the phases of healing for dermal/full-thickness wounds?
- homeostasis
- inflammation
- granulation, proliferation, or firoblastic phase
- maturation and matrix formation phase
Describe the homeostasis phase of healing.
- vasoconstriction to reduce loss and prevention of infection
- fibrin plug is formed
- 10-15 minutes after injury
- occurs after growth factors are released
Describe the inflammation phase of healing.
- 24-48 hours
- cardinal signs of inflammation become apparent due to vasodilation of non-injured vessels to allow leukocytes and growth factors in the area of injury
- phagocytosis and nevascularization
What are the cardinal signs of inflammation?
- rubor (redness)
- calor (heat)
- tumor (swelling)
- dolor (pain)
- functiolaesa (loss of function)
What are the key cells in the inflammation phase?
- platelets
- leukocytes
- macrophages
- mast cells
What phase of the healing process can DM impair?
Inflammation phase
When does inflammation phase occur?
24-48 hours after injury
When does homeostasis phase occur?
10-15 minutes after injury
What are the 4 primary events that occur during the granulation/proliferation/fibroblastic phase?
- angiogenesis
- granulation formation
- wound contraction
- epithelialization
What are the primary cells associated with the granulation phase? What do they provide?
- myofibroblasts (wound contraction)
- fibroblasts (collagen, elastin, and glycosaminoglycan production)
- epithelial cells (epithelialization)
When does the maturation/matrix formation stage occur?
2-4 weeks after injury
can last up to years- collagen synthesis and alignment)
When is a wound pink during maturation phase?
Weeks 6-12
When is a wound lavender/soft pink during maturation phase?
months 12-15
What medications can delay wound healing?
- corticosteroids
- chemotherapy
- NSAIDS
diagnosis
- smooth, red, elevated patches of skin (hives)
- indicative of allergic response
urticaria
diagnosis
excessive dryness of the skin with shedding of the epithelium
xeroderma
What can xeroderma indicate?
- deficiency in thyroid function
- DM
What is clubbing?
thickened and rounded nail end with spongy proximal fold
(true/false) clubbing develops over time
false (at birth)
What is clubbing indicative of?
- crohn’s disease
- cardiac-related cyanosis
- lung cancer/hypoxia
- ulcerative colitis
- biliary cirrhosis
- neoplasm
- GI involvement
What is schamroth’s window test used for?
clubbing
Loss of diamond shape when nails from each hand are placed back-to-back
Changes in nails often indicate what?
Systemic issues unless congenital
Palmar erythema could indicate what?
liver or renal issues
What can pallor indicate?
- anemia
- internal hemorrhage
- lack of sunlight exposure
What skin change is seen with the following:
- arterial insufficiency
- syncope
- chills
- shock
- vasomotor instability
- nervousness
pallor
definition
brownish yellow spots that may be due to aging, uterine and liver malignancies, or pregnancy
liver spots
Brown skin is often associated with what?
Venous insufficiency
definition
Immune disorder that causes white patches of skin to develop due to destruction of melanocytes
- individuals are at greater risk for sunburn, skin cancer, hearing loss, and eye problems
vitiligo
Coolness of the skin can indicate what?
- poor circulation
- obstruction (vasomotor spasm, thrombosis, hypothyroidism)
Excessive salt intake can lead to an (increase/decrease) in skin temperature
increase
(true/false) Warmth from cellulitis and/or infection is global
False (local warmth)
Those with hypothyroidism have (thinning/thickened) hair
thinning hair
Diagnosis
Male pattern hair growth within women
hirsutism
What can hirsutism indicate?
- polycystic ovary syndrome
- cushing’s syndrome
- tumor
- inherited trait
Defintion
Flat spot that is measured up to 1 cm
macule
definition
Flat spot that is 1 cm or larger
patch
definition
Elevated mass that can e measured up to 1 cm
papule
definition
elevated mass that is 1 cm or larger
plaque
definition
raised, marble-like lesion
nodule
definition
raised, irregular, localized edemous spots
wheal
definition
elevated lesion that measures up to 1 cm and contains serous fluid
vesicle
definition
Elevated lesion that is 1 cm or larger and contains serous fluid
bulla, blister
definition
elevated lesion that contains pus
pustule
definition
ulcer that is slow to heal; not painful
indolent ulcer
definition
Skin inflammation/eczema caused by a reaction to light
actinic
definition
Describe what acute eczema looks like.
- red
- oozing
- crusty rash
- extensive erosions
- exudate
- pruritic vesicles
Describe what subacute eczema looks like.
- erythmatous skin
- scaling
- plaques
Describe what chronic eczema looks like.
- thickened skin
- scattered scaling plaques
- fibrotic papules
- fibrotic nodules
- post-inflammatory pigmentation changes
- possible relapsing course
Diagnosis
superficial skin infections caused by staphylococci or streptococci
- associated with inflamed, smal vesicles accompanied with itching
- highly contagious
- common in children and the elderly
impetigo
definition
- suppurative inflammation of cellular or connective tissue in or close to the skin that tends to be poorly defined and widespread
- caused by streptococcal or staphylococcal infection
- can be contagious
- skin is hot, red, edemous
cellulitis
What can cellulitis turn into if not treated?
- gangrene
- lypmhangitis
- abscess
- sepsis
What populations are at an increased risk of developing cellulitis?
- DM
- wounds
- malnutrition
- steroid therapy
What is an abscess?
- cavity containing pus and surrounded by inflamed tissue
- result of localized infection
- commonly a staphylococcyl infection
diagnosis
- itching and soreness, followed by vesicular eruption of the skin on the face or the mouth (cold sore or fever blister)
- spread by contact
herpes 1 (herpes simplex)
What is the common cause of vesicular genital eruption?
herpes 2
How is herpes 2 spread?
sexual contact
What can herpes 2 cause in newborns?
meningoencephalitis or can be fatal
diagnosis
- caused by varicella-zoster that causes chickenpox
- virus is reactivated after lying dormant in the cerebral ganglia or ganglia of the posterior nerve roots
herpes zoster (shingles)
What are the s/s of herpes zoster (shingles)?
- pain and tingling affecting the spinal or cranial dermatome
- progression to red papules along distribution of affected nerve
- red papules progress to vesicles along dermatome
- fever/chills
- malaise
- GI disturance
- pain
- CN III and V involvement
What CN III symptoms are seen with herpes zoster (shingles)?
- eye pain
- corneal damage
What CN V symptoms are seen with herpes zoster (shingles)?
loss of vision
(true/false) there is a curative agent for herpes zoster.
FALSE
- Antiviral drugs slow progression
- symptomatic treatment for itching and pain
(true/false) Herpes zoster is contangious to everyone the person comes in contact with.
False
only those who have not had chickenpox before
What modalities are contraindicated for those with herpes zoster? why?
a. US and heat
b. can icnrease severity of symptoms
What population is the shingles vaccination recommended for?
Healthy adults > 50 y/o
Warts are a common, benign infection caused by what?
HPV
How is HPV transmitted?
- direct contact
- autoinoculation
How is ringworm transmitted?
contact
(true/false) Pain caused by shingles can least weeks, months, or years
true
What areas of the body does ringworm affect?
Fungal infection involving the hair, skin, and nails
How is ringworm treated? How long does treatment last?
- topical antifungal drugs
- oral antifungal drugs
- treatment can last for months even with subsiding symptoms
What are the side effects of antifungals?
- HA
- GI disturbance
- fatigue
- insomnia
- photosensitivity
diagnosis
Infection that is caused in skin folds due to excessive moisture
yeast (candidiasis)
What are the s/s of yeast infection?
Mouth:
- soreness and redness
- oral patches
- pain
Genital:
- erythema
- inflammation
- itching
- burning urination
- pain with sex
- white discharge
Topical:
- redness
- rash
- soreness
Diagnosis
Chronic autoimmune disease of the skin characterized by erythematous plaques covered with silver scales
- common complaints: itching and pain
- common on ears, scalp, knees, elbows, and genitalia
psoriasis
Diagnosis
What is lupus erythematosus?
chronic, progressive autoimmune inflammatory disorder of connective tissues
What does lupus erythematosus look like?
red rash with raised scaly plaques
What are the two types of lupus?
- discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE)
- systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
Diagnosis
- Type of lupus that only affects the skin
- flare-ups with sun exposure
- lesions can cause atrophy, scarring, or pigment changes.
discoid lupus
diagnosis
- type of lupus that affects multiple organ systems (skin, joints, kidneys, heart, nervous system, mucous membranes)
- can be fatal
systemic lupus
What kind of lupus can be fatal?
systemic
What are the s/s of systemic lupus?
- malaise
- butterfly rash on nose
- skin lesion/rash
- chronic fatigue
- arthralgia
- arthritis
- photosensitivity
- anemia
- hair loss
- raynaud’s phenomenon
What diagnosis is indicated when a patient has a “butterfly rash” on the bridge of their nose?
systemic lupus
(true/false) There is a cure for all types of lupus
false
What are side effects of corticosteroids?
- edema
- weight gain
- acne
- HTN
- bruising
- purple stretch marks
Increased risk of developing cushing’s syndrome, DM, osteoporosis, myopathy
What usually accompanies systemic sclerosis (scleroderma)?
raynaud’s phenomenon