| Ulcer
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Etiology
•A number of conditions can result in ulcers of the skin.
•Acute ulcers may result from a variety of causes,
including infections, neoplasms, chemical or thermal
injury.
•Chronic ulcers result from neoplasms, vascular injury,
debilitation, and neurological conditions where the
patient is unaware of injury to the affected part.
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Pathogenesis
•An ulcer is an area of loss of the epithelium, with
acute or chronic inflammation in the underlying
connective tissue.
•Ulcers may be acute or chronic, depending upon the
nature of the inflammatory process.
•In acute ulcer, the epithelium is lost and there
is edema, congestion, and polymorphonuclear leukocyte
infiltration in the underlying tissue.
•In a chronic ulcer, there may be exuberant
proliferation of young capillaries with plump
fibroblasts and chronic inflammatory cells including
lymphocytes and macrophages (granulation tissue).,
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Epidemiology
•Common
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General Gross Description
•Grossly, there is a breach in the epidermis with
acute or chronic granulation tissue below.
•Examples:
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General Microscopic Description
•Acute ulcers show evidence of acute inflammation.
•Chronic ulcers have chronic granulation tissue at the
base.
•Examples:
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References
• Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 13th Edition: Isselbach et. al. (eds). New York, McGraw-Hill, 1994, pp. 562
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| Ulcer
| | Synopsis by: T.V.Rajan, M.D., Ph.D. (T01000M38120)[524]
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