S2L1 Acute Inflammation

Question 1

What is the purpose of inflammation?

Answer 1

deliver defensive materials (white blood cells and fluid containing plasma proteins) to a site of injury
Protect body against infection/clear damaged tissue/initiate tissue repair

Question 2

How quickly does acute inflammation occur?

Answer 2

Hours/days

Question 3

What suffix is used to indicate inflammation?

Answer 3

-itis

Question 4

How is passage of leucocytes and fluid out of blood vessels into the site of injury controlled?

Answer 4

Chemical mediators / mediators of inflammation

Question 5

What is the vascular phase of inflammation?

Answer 5

Changes in blood flow

Accumulation of exudate

Question 6

What is the cellular phase of inflammation?

Answer 6

Delivery of neutrophils

Question 7

What causes acute inflammation?

Answer 7

• Foreign bodies (splinters, dirt, sutures)
• Immune reactions (hyper sensitivity)
• Infections (bacterial, viral, parasitic) and microbial toxins
• Tissue necrosis (any cause)
• Trauma (blunt and penetrating)
• Physical and chemical agents (e.g., thermal injury, e.g., burns or frostbite, irradiation, environmental chemicals).

Question 8

What are the characteristic clinical signs of acute inflammation?

Answer 8

•  Rubor = redness 
•  Calor = heat 
•  Tumour = swelling 
•  Dolor = pain 
•  Loss  of  function –  this  enforces  rest  and  reduces  the  chance  of further damage (this sign was added more recently by Virchow).
- pruritis = itching

Question 9

What occurs to the arterioles in inflammation?

Answer 9

Brief moment of vasoconstriction

Followed by vasodilation, activated by vasoactive mediators such as histamine

Question 10

Why is vasodilation of arterioles necessary in inflammation?

Answer 10

When arterioles dilate flow accelerates in the capillaries and capillary pressure rises. Increase the delivery of fluid and leucocytes to the area of injury.