Master Infarction Types with Picmonic for Medicine

Red infarcts occurs in venous occlusion. It happens due to the inability of blood to exit the infarcted area. The area becomes congested, causing an accumulation of blood around the site.

Red infarcts occur in organs with multiple blood supplies, such as the lungs, liver, intestines, and testes.

Liver infarction is rare due to its dual blood supply from the portal vein and the hepatic artery. These multiple blood supplies will cause red infarction if an infarct occurs.

Infarction of the intestine can occur due to mesenteric ischemia. Small intestines obtain arterial blood from the arcuate internastomozing branches of the mesenteric arteries.

Infarction on the testes can occur due to testicular torsion.

Reperfusion injury can cause red infarct due to damage by free radicals.

The white infarct is also known as a pale infarct. It affects solid organs with single blood supplies, such as the heart, kidney, and spleen.

White infarcts occurs in arterial occlusion. Such infarcts appear in solid organs supplied by anatomically or functionally terminal arteries.

White infarcts occur in organs with single blood supplies. Terminal arteries in these organs do not have functioning anastomoses, which can cause a limited blood supply of the occluded arterial branch. These will result in a lack of tissue receiving blood, causing a pale appearance infarct.

Infarction in the heart is known as myocardial infarction. The most common cause is coronary artery disease.

Kidney infarction can occur due to atheromatous plaque hemorrhage, emboli, aortic dissection, and traumatic avulsion.

Infarction on the spleen can occur due to blockage of the splenic artery or one of its branches. Embolus can be one of the culprits that can appear from mural thrombus on an atheromatous plaque and atrial thrombus due to atrial fibrillation.