Integumentary System Flashcards
Blood flow through the superficial capillary beds of the dermis affects the color of skin and can provide important clues for diagnosing certain celinical conditions. Why would the skin be blue?
Cyanosis due to blood not carrying enough oxygen, circulation not sending adequate amount of blood through the lungs, or person stopped breathing
Why does cyanosis happen
Oxygen carrying hemoglobin of blood appears bright red when carrying oxygen and purplish blue when not carrying oxygen
Where is cyanosis most evident
Skin thin such as lips, eyelids, nails
Why may you get erythema
Exposure to excess heart, infection, inflammation or allergic reactions cause the superficial capillary beds to become engorged
Why may skin be yellow
Bilirubin builds up in the blood
Is it easier to tell skin color changes in white people of black people
White
Do skin incisions parallel or to tension lines or ones that cross tension lines heal better
Parallel! Uninterrupted fibers tend to retain the cut edges in place
Lacerations aacross tension lines disrupt more collagen fibers, which force hte wound to gape and may heal with excessive scaring (keloid )
Surgeons tend to cut in parallel to tension lines except when
Unless something of greater importance like nerves
Describe the dermis
Collagen and elastic fibers in the dermis form a tough, flexible mesh work of tissue.the skin can distend a lot, so small incisions only necessary for surgery (as opposed to large one needed in embalmed cadaver)
What happens with fast size increases, such as abdominal weight gain accompanying pregnancy
Stretch and damage collagen causing stretch markers
What are stretch marks called during pregnancy and outside pregnancy
Pregnancy-L stria gravidarum
Outside-L striae cutis distensae-obese (hypercortisolism or cushing)
Stretch marks occur along with distension and loosening of deep fascia. Why?
Protein breakdown leading to reduced cohesion between collagen fibers
What is a laceration
Accidental cuts and skin tears are superficial or deep
Superficial laceration
Epidermis and maybe superficial dermis
Deep laceration
Penetrate the deep layer of the dermis , extending into subcutaneous tissue or beyond
Gape-suturing or stitches
Causes of burns
Thermal trauma
UV or ionizing radiation
Chemical agents
Superficial burn
Limited to epidermis
Sunburn
May get erythema, pain, swelling, desquamation (peel) several days later
Quickly repacked by basal layer of epidermis without scarring
Partial thickness burn
Epidermis and superficial dermis are damaged with blistering or loss; nerve endings are damaged, making MOST PAINFUL; except for superficial parts, the sweat glands and hair follicles are not damaged and can provide the source of replacement cells for the basal layer of the epidermis along with cells from the edges of the wound
Slow healing-3 to four months
Scarring, contracture but usually complete
Full thickness burns
Entire thickness of the skin is damaged and often the subcutaneous tissue ; edema and burned area is numb since sensory endings are destroyed ; need skin grafting ; dead material (Eschar) is removed and replaced (grafted) over the burned area with skin harvested
4th degree burn
Damage extends through the entire thickness of the skin into underlying fascia, muscle, or bone; these injuries are life threatening
What classifies a severe burn
20% or more of the body is covered
Complicated by trauma or inhalation injury
Or chemicals or high voltage electricity
How can we estimate the surface area affected by a burn in an adult
Rule of 9s!
-body divided into areas each with 9% or multiples of 9%
3 risk factors that increase risk of death from burn or injury
1-age older than 60
2-partial thickness and full thickness over 40% of body
3-presence f inhalation injury
