A
bruise, or
contusion, is a type of
hematoma of
tissue in which
capillaries and sometimes
venules are damaged by
trauma, allowing
blood to seep,
hemorrhage, or
extravasate into the surrounding
interstitial tissues. Bruises, which do not blanch under pressure, can involve capillaries at the level of
skin,
subcutaneous tissue,
muscle, or
bone. Bruises are not to be confused with other similar-looking lesions primarily distinguished by their by their
diameter or causation. These lesions include
petechia (< 3 mm result from numerous and diverse etiologies such as adverse reactions from medications such as warfarin, straining, asphyxiation,
platelet disorders and diseases such as cytomegalovirus),
purpura (3 mm to 1 cm, classified as palpable purpura or non-palpable purpura and indicates various patholgic conditions such as thrombocytopenia), and
ecchymosis (>1 cm caused blood dissecting through tissue planes and settled in an area remote from the site of trauma or pathology such as periorbital ecchymosis, i.e.,"raccoon eyes" , arising from a basilar skull fracture or from a neuroblastoma).