A+ Graded Paper
WGU D236 Pathophysiology 2025 | 100% Verified
Questions & Correct Answers with In-Depth
Explanations
Questions and Mark scheme
Version: Final 1.1
,Distinguish between open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and hip replacement surgery. - ✔✔Open reduction and
internal fixation involves "surgical opening' and insertion of hardware into the patient that assists with maintaining
proper bone alignment during the healing process.
Hip replacement involves replacement of a fractured hip joint with a prosthesis.
What is degenerative disc disease?
What are some of the anatomical features of degenerative disc disease?
What are some symptoms of lumbar vs. cervical degenerative disc disease? - ✔✔Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is a
disorder of the intervertebral discs. When the discs deteriorate, they cause improper alignment of the spinal column.
Some anatomical issues that result are thinning discs, herniated discs (nucleus pulposus leaking through annulus fibrosus
cartilage), bulging discs, and degenerated discs (possible with the formation of osteophytes).
Lumbar DDD results in pain in the buttock and thighs that gets worse with sitting, bending, lifting or twisting; weakness
and numbness in the lower body, such as sciatica.
Cervical DDD can result in chronic neck pain that radiates to shoulders and down the arms, weakness of arms/hands,
and numbness and tingling in arms/hands.
What is sepsis ?
What are symptoms of sepsis, and how can sepsis be treated? - ✔✔Sepsis is an infection of the blood. Fever, chills, and
increased pressure in the affected area are symptoms, as well as the area of injury will be warm, edematous, and
erythematous.
If the infection is advanced, a purulent (pus-like) discharge can develop, as well as a foul odor.
The patient is treated with IV antibiotics in the hospital. When they are allowed to go home, they are given oral
antibiotics.
In the context of musculoskeletal injury, as part of treatment, the debridement of the wound and removal of orthopedic
hardware will be needed to clean up infected region around injury, if it exists.
,How does compartment syndrome develop?
Which part of our body tends to develop compartment syndrome?
How do patients typically recognize they may need to seek medical assistance for rhabdomyolysis?
What is the most sensitive laboratory test for rhabdomyolosis? - ✔✔Because the fascia around the muscles, nerves and
blood vessels do not stretch, compartments surrounded by fascia cannot tolerate swelling or bleeding internally.
When this happens, tissue pressure can exceed perfusion pressure, and compartment syndrome develops. The area can
feel very hard due to the pressure. It is common in the lower leg and the forearm, and can be present in several
potential body compartments.
Several issues develop, and then exacerbate, the compartment syndrome, including constriction of veins, then arteries
and compressed nerves. These lead to tissue necrosis, ischemia, leaky capillaries, and edema. This gives even higher
pressure and can lead to increase Mb in the blood as muscles break down (rhabdomyolysis).
Mb in the kidneys can lead to renal toxicity and tea-colored urine, which is, typically, a patient's first indication that they
have rhabdomyolysis. The most sensitive laboratory test is an elevated creatine
What is a pulmonary embolism?
What is a fat embolism?
When might a patient develop a pulmonary embolism?
When might a patient develop a fat embolism?
How are they treated? - ✔✔A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that has obstructed an artery in the lungs. A fat
embolism occurs when fat globules released from marrow of a fractured bone block microvasculature in the lung or
other organs, such as the brain.
A pulmonary embolism may often develop due to orthopedic surgery and in individuals with low mobility and blood
hypercoagulation tendency.
, Anticoagulant may be administered during orthopedic surgery, and DVT may be treated through thrombolysis or
pulmonary thrombectomy.
A fat embolism is often related to a deep fracture of a marrow-containing bone, such as the femur.
Early stabilization of marrow- containing bone fractures can help prevent fat embolisms, and fat embolisms may be
treated by flushing the blood with solutions containing albumin to increase blood vessel volume and to dissolve the fat
globules with the aid of the albumin.
Choose three of the seven roles (of your choice) of the integumentary system.
Describe the vital physiological function that each role serves.
Provide at least two examples that illustrate the function for each role you have chosen. - ✔✔1) Indicator of general
health. Changes in the color of skin or nailbeds can indicate diseases of heart, liver, or blood cell synthesis. Examples:
see slides provided. Anemia /shock: pallor. Oxygen deficit: blue skin.
2) Barrier protection. Protect body from chemical and environmental hazards. The stratum corneum is a barrier to
antigens and is waterproof.
3) Thermoregulation. Maintain a constant body temperature. Temperature sensors in the dermis send signal to
thermoregulatory center in hypothalamus. If warm, will sweat and have capillary dilation. If cold, hairs stand up, surface
vessels constrict, and body shivers.
4) Immunological surveillance. Non-specific protection from antigens. Keratinocytes secrete keratin and regulate
immune response.
5) Excretion/absorption. Regulate composition and volume of sweat, and help to manage total fluid volume. Many
substances pass into and out of body through skin. See slides for more.
6) Mirror for internal disease processes. External signs of internal immune response/inflammatory processes, such as
wheals, blisters, and bullae.
7) Production of Vitamin D. Regulates calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Role in bone development.
Describe Albinism ?
WGU D236 Pathophysiology 2025 | 100% Verified
Questions & Correct Answers with In-Depth
Explanations
Questions and Mark scheme
Version: Final 1.1
,Distinguish between open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and hip replacement surgery. - ✔✔Open reduction and
internal fixation involves "surgical opening' and insertion of hardware into the patient that assists with maintaining
proper bone alignment during the healing process.
Hip replacement involves replacement of a fractured hip joint with a prosthesis.
What is degenerative disc disease?
What are some of the anatomical features of degenerative disc disease?
What are some symptoms of lumbar vs. cervical degenerative disc disease? - ✔✔Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is a
disorder of the intervertebral discs. When the discs deteriorate, they cause improper alignment of the spinal column.
Some anatomical issues that result are thinning discs, herniated discs (nucleus pulposus leaking through annulus fibrosus
cartilage), bulging discs, and degenerated discs (possible with the formation of osteophytes).
Lumbar DDD results in pain in the buttock and thighs that gets worse with sitting, bending, lifting or twisting; weakness
and numbness in the lower body, such as sciatica.
Cervical DDD can result in chronic neck pain that radiates to shoulders and down the arms, weakness of arms/hands,
and numbness and tingling in arms/hands.
What is sepsis ?
What are symptoms of sepsis, and how can sepsis be treated? - ✔✔Sepsis is an infection of the blood. Fever, chills, and
increased pressure in the affected area are symptoms, as well as the area of injury will be warm, edematous, and
erythematous.
If the infection is advanced, a purulent (pus-like) discharge can develop, as well as a foul odor.
The patient is treated with IV antibiotics in the hospital. When they are allowed to go home, they are given oral
antibiotics.
In the context of musculoskeletal injury, as part of treatment, the debridement of the wound and removal of orthopedic
hardware will be needed to clean up infected region around injury, if it exists.
,How does compartment syndrome develop?
Which part of our body tends to develop compartment syndrome?
How do patients typically recognize they may need to seek medical assistance for rhabdomyolysis?
What is the most sensitive laboratory test for rhabdomyolosis? - ✔✔Because the fascia around the muscles, nerves and
blood vessels do not stretch, compartments surrounded by fascia cannot tolerate swelling or bleeding internally.
When this happens, tissue pressure can exceed perfusion pressure, and compartment syndrome develops. The area can
feel very hard due to the pressure. It is common in the lower leg and the forearm, and can be present in several
potential body compartments.
Several issues develop, and then exacerbate, the compartment syndrome, including constriction of veins, then arteries
and compressed nerves. These lead to tissue necrosis, ischemia, leaky capillaries, and edema. This gives even higher
pressure and can lead to increase Mb in the blood as muscles break down (rhabdomyolysis).
Mb in the kidneys can lead to renal toxicity and tea-colored urine, which is, typically, a patient's first indication that they
have rhabdomyolysis. The most sensitive laboratory test is an elevated creatine
What is a pulmonary embolism?
What is a fat embolism?
When might a patient develop a pulmonary embolism?
When might a patient develop a fat embolism?
How are they treated? - ✔✔A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that has obstructed an artery in the lungs. A fat
embolism occurs when fat globules released from marrow of a fractured bone block microvasculature in the lung or
other organs, such as the brain.
A pulmonary embolism may often develop due to orthopedic surgery and in individuals with low mobility and blood
hypercoagulation tendency.
, Anticoagulant may be administered during orthopedic surgery, and DVT may be treated through thrombolysis or
pulmonary thrombectomy.
A fat embolism is often related to a deep fracture of a marrow-containing bone, such as the femur.
Early stabilization of marrow- containing bone fractures can help prevent fat embolisms, and fat embolisms may be
treated by flushing the blood with solutions containing albumin to increase blood vessel volume and to dissolve the fat
globules with the aid of the albumin.
Choose three of the seven roles (of your choice) of the integumentary system.
Describe the vital physiological function that each role serves.
Provide at least two examples that illustrate the function for each role you have chosen. - ✔✔1) Indicator of general
health. Changes in the color of skin or nailbeds can indicate diseases of heart, liver, or blood cell synthesis. Examples:
see slides provided. Anemia /shock: pallor. Oxygen deficit: blue skin.
2) Barrier protection. Protect body from chemical and environmental hazards. The stratum corneum is a barrier to
antigens and is waterproof.
3) Thermoregulation. Maintain a constant body temperature. Temperature sensors in the dermis send signal to
thermoregulatory center in hypothalamus. If warm, will sweat and have capillary dilation. If cold, hairs stand up, surface
vessels constrict, and body shivers.
4) Immunological surveillance. Non-specific protection from antigens. Keratinocytes secrete keratin and regulate
immune response.
5) Excretion/absorption. Regulate composition and volume of sweat, and help to manage total fluid volume. Many
substances pass into and out of body through skin. See slides for more.
6) Mirror for internal disease processes. External signs of internal immune response/inflammatory processes, such as
wheals, blisters, and bullae.
7) Production of Vitamin D. Regulates calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Role in bone development.
Describe Albinism ?
