Infarction 604141 223125218 2008-07-02T18:05:14Z Bark 339192 fixed wikilink {{unreferenced|date=August 2007}} {{Wiktionary}} In [[medicine]], an '''infarction''' is the process resulting in a [[macroscopic]] area of [[necrosis|necrotic]] tissue in some organ caused by loss of adequate [[blood supply]]. Supplying [[artery|arteries]] may be blocked from within by some obstruction (e.g. a [[blood clot]] or fatty [[cholesterol]] deposit), or may be mechanically compressed or ruptured by trauma. Infarction is commonly associated with [[atherosclerosis]], where an atherosclerotic plaque ruptures, a [[thrombus]] forms on the surface [[occlusion|occluding]] the blood flow and occasionally forming an [[Embolism|embolus]] that occludes other blood vessels downstream. Infarction can also involve mechanical blockage of the blood supply, such as when part of the gut [[hernia|herniates]] or [[volvulus|twists]]. Infarctions are divided into two types according the amount of [[hemorrhaging]] present: * [[White infarction]]s ([[anemic infarct]]s) affect solid organs such as the [[heart]], [[spleen]], and [[kidneys]]. The occlusion is most often composed of [[platelet]]s, and the organ becomes white, or pale. *[[Red infarction]]s ([[hemorrhagic infarct]]s), generally affecting the [[lung]]s. The occlusion consists more of [[red blood cell]]s and [[fibrin]] strands. Diseases commonly associated with infarctions include: * [[Myocardial infarction]] (heart attack) * [[Pulmonary embolism]] ("lung attack") * [[Cerebrovascular accident]] (stroke – 80% are due to infarction) * [[Peripheral artery occlusive disease]] (the most severe form of which is [[gangrene]]) * [[Antiphospholipid syndrome]] * [[Sepsis]] * [[Giant-cell arteritis]] (GCA) * [[Hernia]] * [[Volvulus]] [[Category:Gross pathology]] [[cs:Infarkt]] [[de:Infarkt]] [[et:Infarkt]] [[es:Infarto]] [[fr:Infarctus]] [[it:Infarto]] [[hu:Infarktus]] [[nl:Infarct]] [[ja:梗塞]] [[no:Infarkt]] [[pl:Zawał]] [[pt:Infarto]] [[ru:Инфаркт]] [[sq:Infarkti]] [[sv:Infarkt]] [[vi:Nhồi máu]] [[tr:Enfarktüs]] [[ur:احتِشاء]]