pannus

A membrane of granulation tissue covering a normal surface : 1. The inflammatory synovial tissue found in rheumatoid joints that covers the articular cartilages that progressively destroys the underlying articular cartilages; also found in other chronic granulomatous disease, including tuberculosis. 2. The cornea in trachoma. SEE ALSO: corneal p.. [L. cloth]

- corneal p. fibrovascular connective tissue that proliferates in the anterior layers of the peripheral cornea in inflammatory corneal disease, particularly trachoma in which the p. involves the superior cornea. Three forms occur: p. crassus (thick), in which there are many blood vessel s and the opacity is very dense; p. siccus (dry), p. with dry, glossy surface; and p. tenuis (thin), in which there are few blood vessel s and the opacity is slight.

- phlyctenular p. p. occurring in phlyctenular conjunctivitis.

- trachomatous p. p. of the superior cornea associated with trachoma.

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pan·nus 'pan-əs n, pl pan·ni 'pan-.ī

1) a vascular tissue causing a superficial opacity of the cornea and occurring esp. in trachoma

2) a sheet of inflammatory granulation tissue that spreads from the synovial membrane and invades the joint in rheumatoid arthritis ultimately leading to fibrous ankylosis

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n.

invasion of the outer layers of the cornea of the eye by tissue containing many blood vessels, which grows in from the conjunctiva. It is seen as a result of inflammation of the cornea or conjunctiva, particularly in trachoma.

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pan·nus (panґəs) [L. “a piece of cloth”] 1. superficial vascularization of the cornea with infiltration of granulation tissue. 2. an inflammatory exudate overlying the lining layer of synovial cells on the inside of a joint, usually occurring in patients with rheumatoid or other inflammatory arthritis and sometimes resulting in fibrous ankylosis of the joint. 3. panniculus adiposus.