Pathophysiology Report: Analysis of Patient's Signs and Symptoms

This report provides a detailed analysis of the pathophysiology of a patient presenting with contusion, bruising, breast hematoma, and finger lacerations. It explores the mechanisms behind contusions, which are caused by blunt force trauma leading to blood vessel rupture and blood pooling beneath the skin. The report explains the role of platelets and blood clotting factors in forming a fibrin clot to prevent further bleeding. It also delves into the body's immune response, including the activation of the complement system and the recruitment of neutrophils and phagocytes to the injury site. The report further discusses breast hematoma and lacerations, differentiating between the causes and healing processes. References are provided to support the information presented. This assignment is available on Desklib, a platform offering study resources like past papers and solutions to help students succeed.

Running head: PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
Name of the Student
Name of the university
Author’s note

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Signs and symptoms of the patient
On diagnosis of the patient, the signs and symptoms involved contusion, bruising, breast
hematoma and lacerations to her fingers.
Pathophysiology
Contusions are mainly caused due to a direct, blunt and compressive force to a muscle. It
is caused in the patients, for being struck by any blunt object. There are no external bleeding, but
the actual damage occurs to the blood vessels, in the underlying skin, causing the blood vessels
to rupture (Gibson, Berliner, Miller & Loscalzo, 2016). Blood may pool underneath the skin by
leaking from the ruptured blood vessels. After the injury of the blood vessels, the platelets
normally collect at the site of the injury forming a plug. This is formed by the accumulation of
the platelets by the blood clotting factors forming a fibrin clot, which prevents further leakage of
blood from the blood vessels. The skin looks blackish with the coagulation of blood. The
primary stage after a tissue trauma is normally characterised by the activation of the cellular and
the molecular effectors of the innate immune system, including an activation of the complement
system and recruitment and activation of the neutrophils. The complement system plays an
important role in the removal of the pathogen that are invading, by the method of opsonisation
(Ricklin & Lambris, 2013). The generation of the anaphylatoxins by the elements of the
complement system acts as potential chemoattractants for the phagocytes and the neutrophils and
starts recruiting the immune cells to the laceration site. Cytokines, chemokine and reactive
oxygen species and the tissue toxic enzymes are secreted. Due to increased flow of the blood,
capillary permeability and the influx of the phagocytic cells the area becomes red. Erythema and

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increase in the tissue temperature allows the cells and the fluids to leave and enter the
surrounding tissue causing swelling (Ricklin & Lambris, 2013).
Breast hematoma, after a traumatic injury can be another possible complication.
Hematoma is formed as the deep blood vessels are injured causing leakage of blood in to the
surrounding tissue and especially surrounding the breast (Kanegusuku et al., 2013). It can even
create a lump in the breast. It can also be stated as a result of hematic extravasation that
infiltrates the mammary parenchyma and give rise to a focal collection.
Lacerations can be termed as tearing of the skin, due to an irregular wound. In contrast to
bruising, this is mainly formed by injury with a sharp object or a blunt object with force.
Lacerations are mostly formed in the areas where the underlying bine is prominent, mainly at the
orbital margin (Quinn, Polevoi & Kohn, 2014). Lacerations can be deep and can go beneath the
skin through the layers of fat or the muscles. However, the lacerations of the fingers heal on their
own and does not require any stitches. However, finger lacerations can be associated with
extensor tendon injuries that normally starts with a careful history, noting the mechanism of the
injury and the position of the fingers at the time of the injury. It has been stated that an injury can
cause a complete laceration of the extensor digitorium present on the dorsum of the hand. This
can allow the digit extension by juncture tendinae, such that the resistance testing is important.
Partial tendon injury can also occur (Mirzaie et al., 2014).

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References
Chetlen, A. L., Kasales, C., Mack, J., Schetter, S., & Zhu, J. (2013). Hematoma formation during
breast core needle biopsy in women taking antithrombotic therapy. American Journal of
Roentgenology, 201(1), 215-222.
Gibson, C. J., Berliner, N., Miller, A. L., & Loscalzo, J. (2016). A Bruising Loss. New England
Journal of Medicine, 375(1), 76-81.
Kanegusuku, M. S., Rodrigues, D., Urban, L. A. B. D., Romanus, A. B., Pimenta, R. P., Assis,
M. G. D., & Ferrari, K. A. (2013). Recurrent spontaneous breast hematoma: report of a
case and review of the literature. Revista do Hospital das Clínicas, 56(6), 179-182.
Kissi, S., Fournier, L., & Kit, N. H. (2018). Road traffic accidents: a pictorial review. Emergency
radiology, 25(4), 425-433.
Mirzaie, M., Parsa, A., Salehi, M., Dahmardehei, M., Moghadam, M. H., & Mirzaie, N. (2014).
Epidemiology of hand injuries in children presenting to an orthopedic trauma center in
southeast of iran. Archives of bone and joint surgery, 2(3), 225.
Quinn, J. V., Polevoi, S. K., & Kohn, M. A. (2014). Traumatic lacerations: what are the risks for
infection and has the 'golden period' of laceration care disappeared?. Emergency
medicine journal : EMJ, 31(2), 96–100. doi:10.1136/emermed-2012-202143
Ricklin, D., & Lambris, J. D. (2013). Complement in immune and inflammatory disorders:
pathophysiological mechanisms. The Journal of Immunology, 190(8), 3831-3838.