Editing Inflammation (section)

== Outcomes ==

The outcome in a particular circumstance will be determined by the tissue in which the injury has occurred—and the injurious agent that is causing it. Here are the possible outcomes to inflammation:<ref name="robspath" />

# '''Resolution'''<br />The complete restoration of the inflamed tissue back to a normal status. Inflammatory measures such as vasodilation, chemical production, and leukocyte infiltration cease, and damaged [[parenchyma]]l cells regenerate. Such is usually the outcome when limited or short-lived inflammation has occurred.
# '''[[Fibrosis]]'''<br />Large amounts of tissue destruction, or damage in tissues unable to regenerate, cannot be regenerated completely by the body. Fibrous [[scarring]] occurs in these areas of damage, forming a scar composed primarily of [[collagen]]. The scar will not contain any specialized structures, such as [[parenchyma]]l cells, hence functional impairment may occur.
# '''Abscess formation'''<br />A cavity is formed containing pus, an opaque liquid containing dead white blood cells and bacteria with general debris from destroyed cells.
# '''Chronic inflammation'''<br />In acute inflammation, if the injurious agent persists then chronic inflammation will ensue. This process, marked by inflammation lasting many days, months or even years, may lead to the formation of a [[chronic wound]]. Chronic inflammation is characterised by the dominating presence of macrophages in the injured tissue. These cells are powerful defensive agents of the body, but the [[toxin]]s they release—including [[reactive oxygen species]]—are injurious to the organism's own tissues as well as invading agents. As a consequence, chronic inflammation is almost always accompanied by tissue destruction.