Skin

Question 1

What is cellulitis? How is it obtained and what can it lead to?

Answer 1

A bacterial infection of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue which can spread rapidly
Can be obtained through areas of damaged skin which can lead to sepsis resulting in shock and organ failure.

Question 2

S+S of cellulitis?

Answer 2

Heat
Pain
Swelling on limbs commonly

Question 3

Treatment for cellulitis?

Answer 3

ANTIBIOTICS
ELEVATE AFFECTED LIMB

Question 4

Prevention? Risk factor? For cellulitis?
PAM

Answer 4

Prevention of peripheral neuropathy like monofilament testing on diabetic patients or just check risk factors/conditions in diabetic patients

Adequate wound care

Maintain treatment of skin condition

Question 5

What are the three types of skin cancer

Answer 5

Basal cell carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma
Melanoma

Question 6

Describe basal cell carcinoma

Answer 6

Basal cell carcinoma is slow growing and rarely metastasise and more commonly occurs in sun exposed areas of skin with highly variable appearances.

Its from the basal epidermal cells

Question 7

Describe squamous cell carcinoma
SCAT

Answer 7

Slow growing but more invasive and occurs in areas exposed to sun

Can move down skin layers from outer layers into dermis=higher risk of metastasis

Arises within keratinocytes in outer layers of epidermis

Tendency to appear as nodule=ulcerates and bleeds

Question 8

Describe melanoma. Characteristics and association? (IC6 COI)

Answer 8

Aggressive and fast growing with high rate of metastasis. Arises from melanocytes and can occur anywhere in skin but more commonly occurs in individuals who experience sun burns.

Characteristics
Irregular shape and colour
Change in shape and size greater than 6mm
6mm

Association
Crusting
Oozing
Itching

Question 9

Treatment for all types of cancer?

Answer 9

Excision, radiation, chemotherapy

Question 10

Describe pressure injury

Answer 10

Localised skin damage resulting from sustained pressure - tends to occur over areas of bony prominence eg sacrum.

Question 11

How does PI happen?
ITU

Answer 11

Ischemia => tissue necrosis => ulceration

Question 12

How do you prevent PI? Treatment?

Answer 12

Reposition patients
Air mattress

Treatment = remove dead tissue, clean it - wound care - prevent infection

Question 13

Stage 1 of PI?

Answer 13

Skin is intact but is discoloured and non blanchable

Question 14

What is stage 2?

Answer 14

Partial thickness injury exposing the dermis - can appear blister like

Question 15

What is stage 3?

Answer 15

Full thickness loss of skin exposing the hypodermis - ulcer typically has rolled edges

Question 16

What is stage 4?

Answer 16

Full thickness loss of skin exposing further underlying tissues such as tendon/muscles, ligament, bone

Question 17

What is unstageable?

Answer 17

Full thickness loss of skin and extent of damage that can’t be confirmed bc of dead tissue obscuring some of the injury

Question 18

What is deep tissue injury?

Answer 18

Dying tissue in deeper layers

Injury in tissues deep to skin that appears persistent, non blanchable, deep red, marrow or purple discolouration or blood filled blister.