Medical Terminology - Chapter 4: Integumentary System

A complete set of study flashcards covering key concepts, vocabulary, pathology, diagnostic procedures, and anatomy from Chapter 4: Integumentary System.

What is the outermost layer of the skin, consisting of four to five layers of epithelial cells?

Epidermis

What is the deepest layer of the epidermis that produces new skin cells which rise to the surface, die, and fill with keratin?

Stratum basale

What is the stratum corneum?

The outermost layer of the epidermis, composed of flat, dead, protective cells that are constantly shed and replaced.

What pigment is produced by certain skin cells to give color to the skin and protect against the sun's radiation?

Melanin

What are the primary structural components and functions of the dermis?

It lies beneath the epidermis (also called the true skin or corium) and consists of connective tissue, nerves, blood vessels, lymphatics, and sensory receptors that support and nourish the skin.

Which anatomical layers and structures are illustrated in this cross-section of the skin?

The epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous layer (with adipose tissue), along with hair follicles, arrector pili muscles, sebaceous glands, sweat glands, blood vessels, and sensory receptors.

What are sudoriferous glands and what is their primary function?

Sweat glands that regulate body temperature by releasing a watery fluid (sweat) that cools the body as it evaporates.

What is the function of sebaceous glands and their secretion?

They release sebum (an oily fluid/fatty secretion) that lubricates the hair and skin to prevent drying.

What are hair and nails primarily composed of?

Nonliving material that is mainly keratin.

What do the medical roots derm/o and dermat/o mean?

Skin

What does the medical root kerat/o mean?

Keratin or the horny layer of the skin

What does the medical root hidr/o mean?

Sweat or perspiration

What does the medical root seb/o mean?

Sebum or sebaceous gland

What does the medical root trich/o mean?

Hair

What does the medical root onych/o mean?

Nail

What is dehiscence in the context of wound complications?

A disruption or separation of wound layers.

What is evisceration?

Protrusion of internal organs (viscera) through an opening or wound lesion.

What is cicatrization?

The process of scar formation (a scar is termed a cicatrix).

What is debridement?

The removal of dead or damaged tissue from a wound using cutting, scrubbing, enzymes, or escharotomy.

What is an escharotomy?

The surgical removal of scab tissue (eschar) resulting from burns or other skin injuries.

What is the difference between a full-thickness skin graft (FTSG) and a split-thickness skin graft (STSG)?

A full-thickness skin graft involves both the epidermis and dermis, whereas a split-thickness skin graft involves only the epidermis.

What instrument is used to cut thin sections of skin for skin grafting?

A dermatome

How is a superficial burn characterized?

It involves only the epidermis, causing red and dry skin with minimal pain.

How is a superficial partial-thickness burn characterized?

It involves the epidermis and a portion of the dermis; tissue reddens, may blister, and is painful.

How is a deep partial-thickness burn characterized?

It involves the epidermis and dermis; tissue blisters, exhibits a weeping surface, and may be less painful due to nerve damage.

How is a full-thickness burn characterized?

It involves the full skin and possibly subcutaneous tissue, resulting in broken, dry, and pale or charred tissue that may require skin grafting.

What clinical assessment method is depicted in this body diagram, and what percentage of total body surface area is assigned to the anterior trunk?

The Rule of Nines; the anterior trunk contributes $18\%$ of total body surface area.

According to the Rule of Nines, what percentage is assigned to the perineum/genitalia?

$$1\%$$

What burn assessment method divides the body into smaller areas to estimate the proportion of body surface area more accurately than the rule of nines?

The Lund and Browder method

What are pressure ulcers and where do they most commonly occur?

Necrotic skin lesions caused when pressure interrupts circulation, typically occurring over bony projections such as the sacrum, heel, elbow, ischial bone of the pelvis, and greater trochanter of the femur.

In Kathleen's case study, what four interventions were ordered to treat her stage II sacral pressure ulcer and prevent new ones?

An alternating pressure mattress, position change every two hours, supplemental nutrition, and meticulous wound care.

What are the primary clinical features of psoriasis?

A chronic overgrowth of the epidermis featuring large erythematous plaques covered with silvery scales.

What is pemphigus?

A chronic autoimmune disease characterized by the sudden, intermittent formation of bullae (blisters) in the skin and mucous membranes caused by separation of epidermal cells from underlying layers.

What is scleroderma?

A chronic disease characterized by thickening and tightening of the skin due to an overproduction of collagen, often involving hair follicles and sweat glands.

What is the most common form of skin cancer, accounting for more than $75\%$ of cases?

Basal cell carcinoma

What skin cancer is shown here demonstrating asymmetry, irregular borders, color variation, and a diameter greater than $6\,\text{mm}$?

Malignant melanoma

What skin cancer frequently presents as brownish areas on the legs that progress to raised, firm plaques and is commonly associated with AIDS?

Kaposi sarcoma

What does the mnemonic ABCDE stand for in evaluating pigmented skin lesions?

Asymmetry, uneven borders, different colors, diameter of more than six millimeters, and evolution (change).

What is alopecia?

Absence or loss of hair; baldness.

What are Beau lines?

White lines across the fingernails that are usually a sign of systemic disease or injury.

What is diaphoresis?

Profuse sweating.

What is the difference between a furuncle and a carbuncle?

A furuncle is a painful skin nodule caused by staphylococci entering a hair follicle (a boil), whereas a carbuncle is a larger localized infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue with pain and pus discharge.

What is impetigo?

A bacterial skin infection featuring pustules that rupture and form crusts, most commonly seen in children on the face.

What are petechiae?

Flat, pinpoint, purplish-red spots caused by bleeding within the skin or mucous membrane.

What diagnostic test uses an ultraviolet light to detect fungal infections of the skin?

A Wood lamp

What is skin turgor and what does it evaluate?

The resistance of the skin to deformation (its ability to return to position when pinched), measuring the skin's elasticity and state of hydration.

How do nurse practitioners (NPs) help lower overall healthcare costs according to the text?

Through early intervention, disease prevention, patient education, and counseling across care from admission to discharge.