#anatomylessons

Greetings all anatomy students. There has been a dry spell of lessons this summer while I attended to blueberry crops and fruit trees! Berries are now done for the year and time to return to Outlander. Yay!

So, let’s get right to it.

During Episode 606, The World Turned Upside Down, Claire becomes deathly ill, not from what ails the MacNiel family, but from Malva Christie poisoning! 😈 😳

During an intense fever dream, Claire has a vision of roiling clouds and an amoeba. But then, her hands cradle something red and pulsing –  her beating heart in this startling and somewhat gruesome image...

Anatomy Def: Dupuytren’s Contracture, a disease involving changes to deep tissues of the palm.

Outlander Def: Tom Christie’s right hand enjoys Claire’s touch waaay too much. Watch out, Jamie! 😉

History: Dupuytren’s Contracture (DC) is named after Baron Guillaume Dupuytren (1777-1835), a French anatomist and military surgeon who gained considerable notoriety treating Napoleon Bonaparte’s hemorrhoids! 😲 Although he was not the first to recognize the condition, he was the first to perform a successful repair on DC and published the results (The Lancet, 1834). Hence, the disease is named for him.

Also Known As: Like Jamie, Dupuytren’s Contracture (DC) enjoys a number of aliases:

Dupuytren’s disease (DD)

Morbus Dupuytren

Viking disease

Celtic hand

Palmar fibromatosis/familial palmar fibromatosis

Palmar fascial fibromatosis.

Symptoms: Tight bands and/or firm lumps (nodules) appear in the tissues deep to the palmar skin. Gradually, the fingers may curl and pull sideways or toward the palm. Overlying skin may pucker. Sufferers may experience inflammation or sensations of tenderness, burning, or itching of the hand. Pressure or tension may be felt when attempting to straighten the fingers. Sometimes both hands and even the feet are affected. More fortunate individuals experience only mild cases that do not require medical intervention. The following image shows an example of DC involving the left ring finger.

Anatomy Def: Claire confronts Dupuytren’s Contracture.

Outlander Def: A hand problem best dubbed as “Tom’s Travail!”  👋🏻

Tom’s right hand is disabled because he suffers from Dupuytren’s Contracture (DC). If you have not read my earlier Mini Anatomy Lesson about DC, you can access it a few posts back. 

Quick Review: Underlying the skin of the palm is a tough layer of connective tissue known as the palmar aponeurosis. Importantly, it aids in cupping the palm, maintaining grip, and protecting underlying flexor tendons.

So what did Claire do??? read more: www.outlanderanatomy.com!

New category from Outlander Anatomy!

Claire’s Crisis is not a “fun” fact so this is a Mini Anatomy Lesson. 

Scientific Def:  Childbirth fever.

Outlander Def:  Claire’s Existential Crisis… Her loss of Faith! 😥

Following the devastating loss of her child, Claire becomes desperately ill. She diagnosis her illness as puerperal fever in Outlander, Episode 207, Faith.

Anatomy Def: An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a bulge or swelling of the aorta that occurs in the belly.

Outlander Def: Mrs. Wilson’s untimely #death-resurrection-death wherein “kindly” fisher folk put Claire firmly on her witchy broom!!! 🧹😱

Hello, anatomy students! To date, I have not written a full lesson about the cardiovascular (CV) system. So, the following quick anatomy lesson of the aorta will be useful in understanding AAA. 🤓

And, we’re off!!! 🏇

Aorta: The aorta is the largest blood vessel of the body! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

What Does it Do?

That time Claire helped a stranger that led to a bunch of adventures and the love of a lifetime. Hello February! Let's spread the love! ❤️❤️❤️

A deeply grateful,