BTEC 112 Study of Disease
Study Guide Unit 7
MUSCULOSKELETAL & INTEGUMENTARY
1. Define the following terms:
Ankylosis – Fusion of bones across a joint space by either bone tissue or growth of fibrous tissue.
Raynaud’s phenomenon – Intermittent interruptions of blood supply to the fingers and toes, marked
by severe pallor and accompanied by numbness, tingling, or severe pain.
Induration – Hardening of an area of the body as a reaction to inflammation
Crepitation – Crackling sound due to the grating of bones, may be heard on joint movement
Tophus – Deposits of urate compounds in and around the joints of the extremities that frequently lead
to joint deformity and disability.
Erythema – Flushing; Widespread redness of the skin.
Paresthesia – Sensations of numbness, prickling, or tingling.
Debridement – Removal of dead, damaged, or infected tissue
Vesicle – Small collection of clear fluid (serum); blister
2. Describe the deformities of the spine:
Lordosis – Abnormal inward curvature of the spine, commonly called swayback.
Kyphosis – Abnormal outward curvature of the spine, commonly known as humpback (or Dowager’s
hump).
Scoliosis – Abnormal sideward curvature of the spine either to the left or right.
3. State the common methods of treatment for deformities of the spine.
Physical therapy, exercise, and back braces, surgery in severe cases.
4. Describe the condition of herniated intervertebral disk and its etiology.
It is the fibrous walls of the intervertebral disk weakening and the inner core will bulge outward
(herniation or rupture). It is commonly called a slipped or ruptured disc.
Etiology – Caused by spinal trauma from a fall, straining, or heavy lifting.
5. Discuss osteoporosis and its etiology and treatment.
It is a metabolic bone disease affecting more than 10 million Americans. It particularly affects women
over the age of 50 who are postmenopausal or small bone or who come from northern
European or Scandinavian background.
It is when the bones become brittle, porous and vulnerable to fracture due to decreased calcium and
phosphate in bones.
Etiology – Heredity plays a role in this disease, along with prolonged steroid therapy, alcoholism,
lactose intolerance, or hyperthyroidism.
Treatment may include increased dietary calcium, phosphate supplements, and multivitamins.
Biphosphonates (antiresorptive agents) are now the first treatment of choice for both men and
women.
6. Discuss osteomyelitis and its etiology.
It is an acute or chronic infection of the bone-forming tissue. It is characterized by inflammation,
edema, and circulatory congestion of the bone marrow.
Etiology – Most often caused by trauma that results in hematoma formation and an acute bacterial
infection, particularly by Staphylococcus aureus, although other viruses and fungi also may
cause the condition somewhere else in the body.
7. Describe Paget disease and state its medical name.
It is a chronic metabolic skeletal disease initially marked by a high rate of bone turnover, which
consequently becomes thicker but softer. In a later phase of the disease it is characterized by
the replacement of normal bone marrow with highly vascular fibrous tissue. It is appears most
frequently in the lower torso.
Its medical name is Osteitis Deformans.
8. Describe the following types of fractures:
Closed – Break in bone with no external wound to the skin
Comminuted – Bone is broken or splintered into pieces
Open or compound – Break in the bone which there is an open wound leading skin is broken
Impacted – Bone is broken with one end forced into the interior of the other
Greenstick – Bone is partially bent and split, like a green stick bends but doesn’t break
Incomplete (stress) – Fraction line does not include the whole bone (stress fracture)
9. Discuss the treatment of fractures.
Immobilization of the affected part and control of bleeding are paramount. Open reduction is
accomplished by surgery followed by casting. Closed reduction is accomplished by
manipulation and casting. Traction may be used to allow healing to occur.
10. Describe osteoarthritis.
It is a degenerative joint disease where weight bearing joints and often used joints like hands are
affected.
11. Describe rheumatoid arthritis and what is the diagnostic procedure to diagnose it in most cases.
It is a debilitating chronic disease that destroys joints. It is characterized by inflammation of synovial
membranes and bone degeneration. It affects smaller joints and can affect any age.
It is diagnosed by a blood test that checks for rheumatoid factor, ESR or x-ray.
12. Describe gout and the primary methods of diagnosing this arthritis.
It is also called gouty arthritis, which is a chronic disorder of uric acid metabolism in which the crystals
of uric acid compounds appear in the synovial fluid of joints.
It is commonly found when a urinalysis is run that reveals hyperurecemia.
13. Differentiate sprains and strains.
Sprain
A partial or complete tearing of ligaments
Swelling, pain, heat, redness or purple/dark blue
discoloration
Most common to ankle
RICE – Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation
Strain
Injury to a muscle
Soreness, pain, tenderness
Most common to back, usually lumbar
Rest, moist heat, analgesics, anti-inflammatory
meds
14. Describe carpal tunnel syndrome and its symptoms.
It is a most common syndrome that compresses the median nerve in the wrist, within the carpal tunnel.
This compression causes the sensory and motor changes in the hand.
S&S – Pain, burning, weakness, numbness, or tingling in one or both hands
15. Describe myasthemia gravis and its symptoms.
It is a chronic progressive neuromuscular disease that produces progressive, sporadic weakness and
exhaustion of skeletal muscles.
S&S – Skeletal muscle weakness and fatigability occur. Onset may be sudden, and most affected
individuals will notice drooping eyelids and double vision as the first signs.
16. Contrast systemic lupus erythematosus and discoid lupus erythermatosus.
The only difference is that discoid lupus only involves the cutaneous tissues
17. Describe the following skin lesions:
Flat lesions:
Macule – Flat, discolored, circumscribed lesion of any size (freckle, flat mole)
Elevated Lesions:
Papule – Solid elevated lesion (Nevus, warts, pimple)
Nodule – Palpable circumscribed lesion, larger than a papule (Benign or malignant tumor)
Vesicle – Elevated lesion that contains fluid (blister, herpes zoster, 2nd degree burn)
Bulla – A bulla is a vesicle (blister), but larger.
Wheal – Dome-shaped or flat-topped elevated lesion (hives)
Scales – Excessive dry exfoliation shed from upper layers of the skin (psoriasis, ichthyosis)
Depressed Lesions:
Fissure – Small crack-like sore or break exposing the dermis; usually red (athlete’s foot,
cheilosis)
18. Describe psoriasis and its etiology.
It is a chronic noninfectious, inflammatory skin disease marked by the appearance of discrete pink or
red lesions surmounted by a characteristic silvery scaling.
Etiology – Occurs in about 2% of the population, most often of European descent. The cause is
unknown, but appears to be genetically determined. The disease may be autoimmune.
19. Describe urticaria and its etiology.
It is an episodic inflammatory reaction of the capillaries beneath a localized area of the skin (HIVES.)
Etiology - Most frequently results following ingestion of certain foods (shellfish, nuts, wheat, eggs, etc.),
but may also result from insect stings or inhalants, such as animal dander.
20. Describe impetigo and its etiology.
It is a contagious superficial skin infection marked by a small, fluid-filled blister, vesicle, or a bulla that
becomes pustular, ruptures, and forms a yellow crust.
Etiology – Usually caused by streptococcal or staphylococcal bacteria
21. Describe furuncles and carbuncles and its etiology.
Furuncles (boil) – It is an abscess involving the entire hair follicle and adjacent subcutaneous tissue
Carbuncles – It consists of several furuncles developing in adjoining hair follicles with multiple
drainage sinuses
Etiology – Infection by staphylococcal bacteria is the most common. Predisposing factors include
diabetes mellitus, nephritis, hematologic malignancies, debilitation, and an infected wound
22. Describe pediculosis and its etiology.
It is a skin infestation with lice, a parasitic insect
Etiology – The lice feed on human blood and lay their eggs in the body hair or clothing, where they
hatch, feed and mature in 2 to 3 weeks. The louse bite injects a toxin in the skin.
23. Describe decubitus ulcers its etiology and methods of prevention.
It is a localized area of dead skin and subcutaneous tissue. AKA: Bed Sore.
Etiology – Caused by impairment of the blood supply to the affected area as a result of persistent
pressure against the skin surface. Frequently caused by immobilization.
Methods of prevention – Frequent repositioning of clients who are immobilized and gentle massage of
pressure areas to increase circulation.
24. Describe dermatophytoses (tinea) its etiology and the site of the infection for:
It is a chronic superficial fungal infection
Etiology - Caused by several species of fungi invading the keratinous structures of the body.
Tinea corporis – Ringworm – Occurs on exposed skin surfaces in persons exposed to infected
animals
Tinea unguium – Starts at the tip of one or more toenails, affected nail appearing lusterless and brittle
Tinea pedis – Athlete’s foot – Entire sole may become inflamed and dry with exfoliation and fissuring
Tinea cruris – Jock itch – Lesions in the groin
25. Discuss warts (verrucae) there etiology and treatment.
They are benign, circumscribed, elevated skin lesions resulting from hypertrophy of the epidermis
Etiology - Caused by infection from papilloma viruses each tending to infect different parts of the body.
Treatment – May be removed with CO2 applied laser therapy, salicyte acid plasters, surgical excision,
cryosurgery, or keratolytic (peeling) agents.
26. Describe atopic dermatitis (eczema) and its etiology.
It is an inflammation of the skin accompanied by intense itching.
Etiology – The condition is idiopathic, but appears to have allergic or hereditary components.
27. Describe cold sores and fever blisters and state the etiology.
Both are skin eruptions occurring about the perimeter of the mouth, lips, and nose or on the mucous
membranes within the mouth
Etiology – These lesions are produced by the herpes simplex virus type 1
28. Describe shingles (Herpes Zoster) and its etiology.
It is an acute inflammatory eruption of highly painful vesicles o the trunk of the body or occasionally on
the face.
Etiology – Caused by reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chicken-pox.
What triggers this activation is unknown.
29. State the three most common types of skin cancer and be able to indicate the seriousness of each.
Basal cell carcinomas – Least Dangerous form - Locally invasive, slow growing and rarely
metastasize – Affects the basal cell layer and is the most common tumor affecting fair-haired
people
Squamous cell carcinomas – More dangerous than basal cell and does metastasize – Arises from the
epidermis and produces keratin
Malignant melanoma – Most dangerous form – Appears in the epidermis and the dermis layers of skin
Appears in 1 of 4 forms: superficial spreading melanoma, lentigo maligna melanoma, nodular
melanoma, and acral-lentiginous melanoma - It causes more deaths than other skin diseases.
30. Describe latex allergy, its etiology and signs and symptoms.
It is a hypersensitivity to products containing latex derived from the rubber tree
Etiology – Individuals with a history of asthma or other allergies especially to bananas, avocados, and
tropical fruits seem to be at higher risk.
S&S – Mild symptoms are itchy, swollen lips, nausea and diarrhea, and red, swollen eyes. Signs of
anaphylactic shock include hypotension, tachycardia, difficulty breathing, and bronchospasms.
I WILL NOT BE PUTTING THE PRESENTATION QUESTION ON THE STUDY GUIDE BECAUSE JOHN IS
MIXING THEM UP AND PUTTING THEM WHEN HE CAN.