Ch 13: Understanding Necrosis
About This Chapter
Types & Treatment of Necrosis - Chapter Summary
You're in the right place if you need a convenient and efficient way to review necrosis types and treatments. Through a series of simple and bite-sized lessons, you'll examine basic necrosis terminology, as well as the causes, symptoms and treatments for various necrosis types, such as acute tubular, coagulative, liver and laminar necrosis.
To help you reinforce your necrosis knowledge, we've included plenty of self-assessments throughout the chapter. You can work through the chapter at your own pace and submit questions to our instructors if they arise. You'll also be able to access the chapter at any time using your desktop, laptop or smartphone.
How It Helps
These training resources are designed for aspiring healthcare workers or current medical professionals who need to improve their understanding of necrosis causes, symptoms and treatments. The lessons can be used in conjunction with continuing education materials, and they can also boost your overall necrosis knowledge.
Skills Covered
By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to:
- Differentiate between necrosis and gangrene
- Outline the phases of acute tubular necrosis
- Explain the symptoms and treatments for fat, coagulative, gangrenous, fibrinoid, renal and liquefactive necrosis
- Recognize caseous necrosis symptoms
- Compare necrosis and apoptosis in the human body
- Evaluate several types of necrosis, including liver, tumor, skin, cystic, medial, radiation and acute retinal necrosis
- Define cortical laminar, petechial, myocardial infarction, contraction band, diabetic hemorrhagic and gummatous necrosis
- Understand the causes, symptoms and treatments for osteonecrosis of the jaw

1. Gangrene vs. Necrosis
Gangrene and necrosis are two serious conditions that can potentially kill a patient. Explore the characteristics of gangrene and necrosis, their causes, manifestations, and clinical differences.

2. Acute Tubular Necrosis: Causes, Phases & Treatment
Acute tubular necrosis refers to the damage and death of kidney cells which can result in decreased function of the kidneys. Learn about the causes, phases, and treatment of this condition.

3. Fat Necrosis: Definition, Symptoms & Treatment
Fat necrosis refers to the destruction and death of fat cells in the body, specifically fat cells in the breasts. Learn about fat necrosis, including the symptoms and treatments of this condition.

4. Coagulative Necrosis: Definition, Causes & Treatment
Coagulative necrosis is a condition of cell death caused by a lack of blood flow. Learn about coagulative necrosis as well as the causes and treatments of this condition.

5. Gangrenous Necrosis: Definition, Causes & Treatment
Gangrenous necrosis, or gangrene, is a potentially life threatening condition that has plagued humans for centuries. While it still occurs, it is not nearly as prevalent as it was hundreds of years ago. This lesson will discuss the types, causes, and treatment of gangrene.

6. Caseous Necrosis: Definition, Causes & Symptoms
Have you ever wondered what happens to lung cells when they die due to infection? In this lesson, you will learn about caseous necrosis as well as the causes and symptoms of this condition.

7. Fibrinoid Necrosis: Definition, Symptoms & Treatment
Fibrinoid necrosis is a form of cellular death that results in the formation of fibrous tissue. Learn about fibrinoid necrosis as well as the symptoms and treatment for this condition.

8. Renal Papillary Necrosis: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Renal papillary necrosis involves damage to kidney cells that eventually leads to cellular death. Learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatments for this condition.

9. Liquefactive Necrosis: Definition, Causes & Symptoms
Liquefactive necrosis is a form of necrosis in which dead tissue turns into a liquid substance. Learn about liquefactive necrosis as well as the causes and symptoms of this condition.

10. Apoptosis vs. Necrosis in the Body
In this lesson, you're going to learn about two of the major ways by which cells die. One is called 'necrosis' and the other 'apoptosis'. The lesson will explain the differences between these two processes.

11. Liver Necrosis: Focal, Piecemeal, Coagulative & Centrilobular
There are several types of liver necrosis, including focal, piecemeal, coagulative, and centrilobular. In this lesson, learn about these different types of liver necrosis.

12. What are Tumor Necrosis Factor & Lymphotoxin-Alpha?
In this lesson, we'll be looking at two pro-inflammatory factors, tumor necrosis factor, and lymphotoxin-alpha. We'll provide an overview of the role of each of these molecules in the body and explain their application in medicine.

13. Anticoagulant-Induced Skin Necrosis: Definition & Treatment
Anticoagulant-induced skin necrosis is a condition of skin death that results from the use of anticoagulant medications. In this lesson, we'll learn about this condition and how to treat it.

14. Cystic Medial Necrosis: Definition, Causes & Symptoms
Cystic medial necrosis is the breakdown or damage of connective tissue of the large arteries throughout the body. Learn about cystic medial necrosis as well as the causes and symptoms of this condition.

15. Radiation Necrosis: Definition, Symptoms & Treatment
This lesson defines radiation necrosis in general and describes when it's used most often as a term. You'll learn the signs, symptoms, and treatment options of one particular form of radiation necrosis.

16. Acute Retinal Necrosis: Symptoms & Treatment
Acute retinal necrosis is a condition of the eyes which causes irritation and inflammation of the retina. In this lesson, learn about the symptoms and treatments of acute retinal necrosis.

17. Acute Retinal Necrosis vs. Progressive Outer Retinal Necrosis
This lesson teaches you about a couple of conditions affecting the eyeball: acute retinal necrosis and progressive outer retinal necrosis. In the process, you'll learn the major differences between the two.

18. Cortical Laminar Necrosis: Definition & Causes
Cortical laminar necrosis involves the death of brain cells, usually due to reduced blood flow to the brain. Learn about cortical laminar necrosis as well as the causes of this condition.

19. Laminar Necrosis vs. Petechial Hemorrhage
What are laminar necrosis and petechial hemorrhage? How are they similar and how are they different? Continue reading to find out the answer to these questions and more information about these two findings.

20. Myocardial Infarction Necrosis: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Myocardial infarction necrosis is the death of heart cells that results from a heart attack. Learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatments for this condition.

21. Contraction Band Necrosis: Definition, Causes & Pathology
Contraction band necrosis is a special condition of the cells of the heart following a heart attack. It causes muscle cells to permanently contract and ultimately die. Learn about the causes and pathology of this condition in this lesson.

22. Treatment for Diabetic Necrosis: Muscle, Skin & Fat
Diabetic necrosis is a state of tissue death due to complications of uncontrolled diabetes. Learn about the treatment of diabetic necrosis that affects the muscle, skin, and fat.

23. Hemorrhagic Necrosis: Definition & Pathology
Hemorrhagic necrosis can be a general term that is used to describe a very serious disease complication. In this lesson, you will learn more about what hemorrhagic necrosis is and what it looks like.

24. What is Gummatous Necrosis?
Gummatous necrosis is a form a necrosis that involves the growth of non-cancerous tissues during the late stages of syphilis. Learn all about gummatous necrosis in this lesson.

25. Osteonecrosis of the Jaw: Definition & Causes
Osteonecrosis of the jaw is a condition where the bones in the jaw show through the gums and eventually die or become necrotic. Learn more about this condition and its causes in this lesson.

26. Osteonecrosis of the Jaw: Symptoms & Treatment
Osteonecrosis of the jaw refers to a condition in which the bones of the jaw start to show through the gums and eventually die or become necrotic. Learn about the symptoms and treatment for this condition.
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Other Chapters
Other chapters within the Critical Care Nursing course
- Critical Care Nursing Essentials
- Evidence-Based Practice for Nursing
- Critical Care Nursing in Pediatrics
- Sleep & Sedation in Critical Care
- Deep Vein Thrombosis: Theory and Treatment
- Deep Vein Thrombosis: Practical Applications
- Critical Care Nursing for Skin Conditions
- Infections of the Blood & Respiratory System
- Treating Bleeding Issues
- Types of Wounds
- Treating Wounds
- Treating Ulcers
- Critical Care Nursing for the Liver & Kidneys
- Critical Care Nursing for Eyes
- Electric Shocks & Electrical Burns
- Bruises, Contusions & Hematomas
- Diagnosing & Treating Chest & Stomach Injuries
- Pelvic Injuries
- Cardiovascular Diseases
- Tourniquets
- Poison & Chemical Exposure
- Bacterial & Viral Tropical Diseases
- Fungal Tropical Infections
- Helminth Infections
- Protozoan Infections