Contusion

Another name for a bruise. What is a bruise ? A bruise, or contusion, is caused when blood vessels are damaged or broken as the result of a blow to the skin (be it bumping against something or hitting yourself with a hammer). The raised area of a bump or bruise results from blood leaking from these injured blood vessels into the tissues as well as from the body’s response to the injury. A purplish, flat bruise that occurs when blood leaks out into the top layers of skin is referred to as an ecchymosis.

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Any mechanical injury (usually caused by a blow) resulting in hemorrhage beneath unbroken skin. SEE ALSO: bruise. [L. contusio, a bruising]

- brain c. a bruising, usually of the surface, of the brain with extravasation of blood but without rupture of the pia-arachnoid; healing results in a superficial depressed sclerotic area, possibly with incorporated meninges. SEE ALSO: brain cicatrix.

- scalp c. intracutaneous or subcutaneous extravasation of blood without gross disruption of skin.

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con·tu·sion kən-'t(y)ü-zhən n injury to tissue usu. without laceration: BRUISE (1)

con·tuse -'t(y)üz vt, con·tused; con·tus·ing

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n.

1. see bruise.

2. any of various degrees of bruising of the brain (cerebral contusion), resulting from head injury or surgery. Clinical signs range from concussion to coma, reflecting the severity of the trauma.

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con·tu·sion (kən-tooґzhən) [L. contusio, from contundere to bruise] an injury of a part without a break in the skin and with a subcutaneous hemorrhage. Called also bruise.