Taber's Medical Dictionary
necrosis
(nĕ-krō′sĭs)
(nĕ-krō′sēz″)
pl. necroses [Gr. nekrōsis, (state of) death]
The death of cells, tissues, or organs. Necrosis may be caused by insufficient blood supply, pathogenic microorganisms, physical agents such as trauma or radiant energy (electricity, infrared, ultraviolet, roentgen, and radium rays), and chemical agents acting locally, acting internally after absorption, or placed into the wrong tissue. Some medicines cause necrosis if injected into the tissues rather than the vein, and some, such as iron dextran, cause necrosis if injected into areas other than deep muscle or vein.
NECROSIS Necrotic wound of the foot; SEE: gangrene; SEE: mortification
necrotizing (nek′rŏ-tīz″ing), adj.
acute esophageal necrosis
acute tubular necrosis
ABBR: ATN Acute damage to the renal tubules; usually due to ischemia associated with shock.
SEE: acute renal failure
anemic necrosis
Necrosis due to inadequate blood flow to a body part.
aseptic necrosis
Necrosis without infection, e.g., as a result of trauma or drug use.
avascular necrosis
SEE: Osteonecrosis.
Balser fatty necrosis
caseous necrosis
Necrosis with soft, dry, cheeselike formation, seen in diseases such as tuberculosis or syphilis.
SYN: SEE: cheesy necrosis
central necrosis
Necrosis that affects only the center of a body part.
cheesy necrosis
SEE: Caseous necrosis.
coagulation necrosis
Necrosis occurring esp. in infarcts. Coagulation occurs in the necrotic area, converting it into a homogeneous mass and depriving the organ or tissue of blood.
SYN: SEE: fibrinous necrosis; SEE: ischemic necrosis
colliquative necrosis
Necrosis caused by liquefaction of tissue due to autolysis or bacterial putrefaction.
SYN: SEE: liquefactive necrosis
dry necrosis
SEE: Dry gangrene.
embolic necrosis
Necrosis due to an embolic occlusion of an artery.
fat necrosis
Necrosis of fatty tissues, seen, for example, in patients with severe cases of pancreatitis.
fibrinous necrosis
focal necrosis
Necrosis in small scattered areas, often seen in infection.
gummatous necrosis
Necrosis forming a dry rubbery mass resulting from syphilis.
ischemic necrosis
liquefactive necrosis
medial necrosis
Necrosis of cells in the tunica media of an artery.
moist necrosis
Necrosis with softening and wetness of the dead tissue.
postpartum pituitary necrosis
SEE: Sheehan syndrome.
progressive outer retinal necrosis
Retinal necrosis resulting from herpes zoster reactivation in immune-suppressed patients. It begins at the posterior pole of the retina but eventually may encompass the whole retina.
putrefactive necrosis
Necrosis due to bacterial decomposition.
radiation necrosis
Necrosis caused by radiation exposure.
subcutaneous fat necrosis of newborn
An inflammatory disorder of unknown cause affecting fat tissue that may occur in the newborn at the site of application of forceps during delivery and occasionally in premature infants.
superficial necrosis
Necrosis affecting only the outer layers of bone or any tissue.
thrombotic necrosis
Necrosis due to thrombus formation.
total necrosis
Necrosis affecting an entire organ or body part.
