Essay on the infarct

Infarct can be defined as the area of ischemic necrosis can due to the obstruction or
occlusion either in the arterial system or venous system. Infarction can be classified based on 2
criteria: 1) based on their color and 2) based on the presence or absence of infarction. For the
classification on the color of the infarct, it can be divided into two, red infarct which usually found
in the spleen, heart and kidney while white infarct in lung and intestines.

There are a lot of causes of infarction that happened in the body, including as thrombosis,
embolism, formation and expansion of the atheroma, varicose vessel (twisting of the vessels),
entrapment in the hernia sac and lastly the extrinsic compression of vessels.

In fact, they are some factors that promoting the development of infarct named firstly the
host status, anatomical pattern of blood supply, rate of development of vascular occlusion
and last but not least are the tissue vulnerability to the infarction. On the first point, the condition
of host which easily classified in term of having the other disease may exacerbate the condition. For
example, usually patient will develop infarction in case of congestive of heart failure which mean
that the heart got some problems in pumping of blood efficiently since both of the sides of the heart
are unable to function normally as the normal people do due to the congenital effect. Next, in terms
of shock condition, thus shows reduced in blood volume with cardiac output associated with the
reduced reperfusion lead to deficient blood supply to the tissue causes infarction. Other diseases
that also lead to the development of infarction are severe anemia, chronic obstruction air way
disease, and abnormal anemia.

On the second point, the difference in the anatomical pattern of the blood vessels
somehow affects the rate of infarct development. The incidence of infarction is increased in the
region of having poor anastomosis of blood vessel especially in the end artery of kidney, spleen
and lower limb. However, the presence of dual blood supply in the lung and liver and parallel
arterial system of the upper limb and circle of Willis may reduce the development of infarction.
Lastly, by having collateral branches like in coronary artery less likely caused to infarction.

Next, the rate of development of vascular occlusion may also play a significant role in
infarct action on the tissue. For example, slow development of occlusion is usually seen in the
brain and for the rapid ones is due to the sudden impact on the embolus .For your
information, embolus is a condition whereby the thrombus is dislodged from the vessel leads to the
migration of embolus from its point of origin and when it is occluded in the vessel, this may lead to
condition of what we called as infarction.

Lastly, the development of infarct is also aided by the tissue vulnerability to the
infarction. This comes to the tissues of neurons, fibroblast, glial cell, myocardial fibers and
proximal convoluted tubules which are susceptible to the infarction.
 For the morphological state, in the cases of myocardial infarct, the gross appearance within
hours shows no visible microscopically, but after 24 hours, the firm consistency outline of the
infarct is better defined where the features of pale yellow white color and its wedge is clearly seen.
For the base, it is point to the arterial occlusion while the apex point to the periphery of the organ.
And after 36 to 48 hours, the infarct color becomes yellow white which bordered with the rim of
hyperemia. The soft consistency shows that the pericardial surfaces are covered with the fibrinous
exudates.

As for the histological features shows that for the first few hours, there’s no apparent
changes in the histology of the same but between 12 hours to 18 hours, the gradually spread of
hemorrhage is seen and over 24 hours the coagulative necrosis which look like cheesy like material is
seen., And after 7 days there is secondary union is observed and if there is septic infarct shows some
infection with the formation of abcess. For brain infarct, it is usually shows coagulative necrosis with
comes together with pus and abcess formation.

The clinical impact on this condition is increasing terms of mortality rate and morbidity rate
of the population. The mortality rate is usually in cases of myocardial infarct which cause sudden
death to the patient an death other cases is cerebral infarction which then lead to stroke. For the
elevated morbidity rate is usually seen in the population of gangrene and with organ damage of
kidney, liver, spleen, intestines liver and lung.