An infected wound is a localized defect or excavation of the skin or underlying soft tissue in which pathogenic organisms have invaded into viable tissue surrounding the wound. Infection of the wound triggers the body's immune response, causing inflammation and tissue damage, as well as slowing the healing process.
A serious condition in which there is inflammation throughout the whole body. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome may be caused by an infection, trauma, surgery, ischemia (lack of blood supply to a part of the body), or certain conditions, such as an autoimmune disorder or pancreatitis.
Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is an exaggerated defense response of the body to a noxious stressor (infection, trauma, surgery, acute inflammation, ischemia or reperfusion, or malignancy, to name a few) to localize and then eliminate the endogenous or exogenous source of the insult.
Tissue damage causes a local inflammatory response that may become more systemic. This systemic inflammation leads to endothelial damage at distant sites (including the lungs).
Systemic Factors Affecting Wound Healing. Systemic factors refer to the overall state of health of patients, including underlying conditions that can impact wound healing. They include age, sex hormones, diabetes, stress, obesity, medications, and smoking or alcohol usage.
Systemic diseases.
Common medical conditions that may affect healing are (1) diabetes, (2) vascular diseases, (3) pulmonary diseases, (4) immunocompromised or autoimmune conditions, and (5) conditions that affect the autonomic nervous system.
Severe burns are another example of a clinical entity that will cause systemic inflammation but also has the dilemma of differentiating between the inflammation caused by the burn and a potential infection.
The process of systemic inflammation proceeds through activation of serum proteins, activation of leucocytes and endothelial cells, secretion of cytokines, leucocyte-endothelial cell interaction, leucocyte extravasation and tissue damage.
The effects of inflammation on the body are widespread due to the systemic nature of the inflammatory response. Some signs and symptoms associated with inflammation include the following: pyrexia, or fever. pallor, or paleness. alterations in Central Nervous System, such as depression, fatigue, and confusion.
Indicators of wound infection include redness, swelling, purulent exudate, smell, pain, and systemic illness in the absence of other foci. Subtle signs of local wound infection include unhealthy “foamy” granulation tissue, contact bleeding, tissue breakdown, and epithelial bridging.
And the simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens allows for early diagnosis of the infection and initiation of therapy. A systemic infection is being spread throughout the systems of the body as compared to local infections where the pathogen or symptoms are localized in one area.
The presence of certain bacteria is associated with inflammatory molecules that may bring about inflammation in various body tissues. Inflammation underlies many chronic multisystem conditions including obesity, atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes mellitus and inflammatory bowel disease.
A local inflammatory response always occurs in relation to trauma. Severe injury or multiple trauma evoke a systemic inflammatory response. This systemic inflammatory response to major injury is caused by hormonal, metabolic and immunological mediators, and is associated with a haemodynamic response.
Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) has been identified as relating to inflammation, while sepsis is a result of infection that has overwhelmed the body's defenses. The two conditions are similar, but distinct processes in the outcomes.
The are three main stages of inflammation which can each vary in intensity and duration: Acute -swelling stage. Sub-acute – regenerative stage. Chronic – scar tissue maturation and remodelling stage.
The signs of inflammation include loss of function, heat, pain, redness, and swelling.
In response to tissue injury, the body initiates a chemical signaling cascade that stimulates responses aimed at healing affected tissues. These signals activate leukocyte chemotaxis from the general circulation to sites of damage. These activated leukocytes produce cytokines that induce inflammatory responses [7].
Some factors and infections that can lead to acute inflammation include: acute bronchitis, appendicitis and other illnesses ending in “-itis” an ingrown toenail. a sore throat from a cold or flu.
Local complications include delayed and non-healing of the wound, cellulitis, abscess formation, osteomyelitis as well as further wound breakdown.
Sepsis happens when an infection you already have triggers a chain reaction throughout your body. Infections that lead to sepsis most often start in the lung, urinary tract, skin, or gastrointestinal tract. Without timely treatment, sepsis can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death.
Cellular and molecular events during normal wound healing progress through four major, integrated, phases of haemostasis, inflammation, proliferation and remodelling.