ULCER
BY
SAI ROOPA (125)
SANDHIYA (126)
DEFINITION
Break in the continuity of the covering epithelium
- skin or mucous membrane
It may either follow molecular death of the surface epithelium or its traumatic removal
CLASSIFICATION OF ULCER
ULCER
CLINICALLY PATHOLOGICALLY
1. Spreading ulcer 1. Non specific ulcer
2. Healing ulcer 2. Specific ulcer
3. Callous or chronic ulcer 3. Malignant ulcer
CLINICAL CLASSIFICATION
Spreading ulcer Healing ulcer Chronic ulcer
Surrounding skin is inflamed Floor with with red healthy Floor with with pale granulation
granulation tissue tissue
Floor is covered with profuse
and offensive slough without Edge with granulation and Discharge- scanty or absent
evidence of granulation tissue margin bluish
Presence of discharge
PATHOLOGICALLY
Non specific ulcer
• Specific ulcers
1. Traumatic – electrical burn
2. Arterial – atherosclerosis
3. Venous – varicose ulcer
4. Associated with malnutrition –DM • Malignant ulcers
5. Associated with certain other
disease- gout
6. Neurogenic – bed sores
HISTORY TAKING
HISTORY TAKING
• Mode of onset
• Duration
• Pain
• Discharge
• Associated disease
HISTORY
MODE OF ONSET
1. TRAUMATIC
Heal by themselves if traumatic agent is removed
But the ulcer take a turn towards chronicity if traumatic
agent persists
2. SPONTANEOUSLY
Suspect TB or malignant tumor
Malignant ulcer- Marjolin’s ulcer may develop on scar
of burn
HISTORY
DURATION
- Acute or chronic
- Incubation period => interval between the exposure and the onset of ulcer
PAIN
- with or without pain
- only those ulcers associated with inflammation will be painful
- ulcers from malignant disease are absolutely painless
HISTORY
DISCHARGE
- Presence or absence of discharge
- amount and smell
- if discharge is present
• Serum
• Pus
• Blood
ASSOCIATED DISEASE
- Nervous disease such as tabes dorsalis may result an ulcer
- Generalized TB or diabetes also may lead to ulcer
EXAMINATION
PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
GENERAL SURGERY
In case ulcer, one should not give all attention to ulcer only
Due consideration must given to general examination of the patient
Ulcer may be well be a sequel of malnutrition , general atherosclerosis , syphilis.
LOCAL EXAMINATION
INSPECTION
1. SIZE AND SHAPE
SHAPE AND SIZE OF ULCER DISEASE
ovalcoalescenceirregular Tuberculous ulcers
cresentic border
Circular or semilunar Syphilitic ulcer
vertically oval Varicose ulcers
To record exactly the size and shape of an ulcer, a sterile gauze may be pressed on the
ulcer to get its measurement
2. NUMBER
More than one ulcer in TB , varicose ulcers etc,.
LOCAL EXAMINATION
POSITION
POSITION DISEASE
Medial malleolus of lower limb Varicose ulcers
Neck, axilla or groin Tuberculosis ulcer
Face , fingers and hand Lupus (form of cutaneous TB)
Malignant tumor occur anywhere but more common on lips , tongue ,breast, penis and anus
EDGE……
LOCAL EXAMINATION
EDGE VS MARGIN
Junction b/w normal
epithelium and ulcer
Area b/w margin and floor of ulcer
LOCAL EXAMINATION
EDGE
Sloping edge
- venous ulcer
Undetermined edge
- TB
- spread faster
Raised and pearly white
beaded edge
- Rodent ulcer
Punched out edge - become necrotic ulcer
- deep trophic ulcer
- do not spread
Rolled out edge
- characteristic of
squamous cell carcinoma
LOCAL EXAMINATION
FLOOR
- red granulation healthy and healing
- pale and smooth granulation slow healing ulcer
- black mass malignant melanoma
Surrounding area
- glossy , red, oedematous acutely inflamed
- scar or wrinkling old case of TB
PALPATION
• Tenderness
neoplastic ulcers are never tender
• Edge and margin
• Base
slight induration in chronic ulcer but marked induration of base is the most important feature of
squamous cell carcinoma
• Depth
• Bleed on touch?
important feature of malignant ulcer
• Surrounding structure
increased temperature and tenderness => inflammatory origin
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