A 25-year-old woman presents with right lower quadrant abdominal pain and fever. Laparotomy reveals a walled-off collection of creamy yellow material in the pelvis. Microscopic examination of this material would show:

• A Amorphous eosinophilic fibrin strands with sparse cells
• B Mucinous epithelium lining a cystic space
• C Caseous granular necrosis surrounded by epithelioid histiocytes
• D Liquefactive necrotic debris rich in viable and dead neutrophils ✓

Explanation

A purulent (suppurative) inflammation with abscess formation consists of liquefied tissue debris loaded with neutrophils; the creamy yellow fluid is pus. Neutrophil-derived lysosomal enzymes such as elastase digest dead tissue, producing liquefactive change. Fibrin strands without abundant neutrophils indicate fibrinous inflammation, while caseous necrosis with epithelioid cells points to tuberculosis, a different entity entirely.

Reference: Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.