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Inflammation

Dr Yuranga Weerakkody and Dr Paul Smith et al.

Inflammation is a response to a noxious stimuli which can be either be acute or chronic.

Sub types

Acute Inflammation

In acute inflammation there are vascular and exudative phases.

vascular: dilatation and increased permeability
exudative: fluid and cells escape from permeable venules

The outcome of acute inflammation can be:

resolution (restoration of normal function)
non resolution
abcess
organisation (scarring)
progression to chronic inflammation

Chronic Inflammation

Chronic inflammation occurs when there is a persistent damaging stimulus. This eventually heals by either scarring or granuloma formation.

Chronic inflammation is characterised by infiltration with mononuclear cells (macrophages, lymphocytes).

Granulomatous Inflammation

Granulomatous inflammation is specific subtype of chronic inflammation charcterised by aggregation of epitheliod histiocytes. Examples of Type IV hypersensitivity reaction include:

infections (tuberculosis)
foreign bodies
chemicals
drugs
idiopathic (eg. sarcoid)

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References

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1. Kumar, V; Cotran, R.S., Robbins, S.L. Robbins Basic Pathology, 7th edition