eschar

English

WOTD – 5 February 2006

Eschar on localised full-thickness burn

Eschar at the site of a tick-bite that had transmitted Mediterranean spotted fever

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Etymology

From Middle French eschare (now escarre) or Late Latin eschara (“scar, scab”), from Ancient Greek ἐσχάρα (eskhára, “hearth, brazier, scab”). Doublet of scar.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɛskɑː/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɛskɑɹ/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

Noun

eschar (countable and uncountable, plural eschars)

1. (medicine) A superficial structure of dead tissue, usually hardened, commonly, but not necessarily dark, adhering to underlying living or necrotic tissue, caused by gangrene or a burn.
   • 2016, Cheryl Carver, Knowing the Difference Between Scabs and Eschar‎^[1]:

     ...stable intact eschar on the heels should not be removed. Blood flow in the tissue under the eschar is poor and the wound is susceptible to infection. The eschar acts as a natural barrier to infection by keeping the bacteria from entering the wound. If the eschar becomes unstable (wet, draining, loose, boggy, edematous, red) it should be debrided according to the clinic or facility protocol

2. (loose or obsolete) Any hard, dark, commonly flattened or sunken lesion or crust, especially on a burn, abscess, infection, wound; commonly a coagulation of blood or exudations, not necessarily involving dead or necrotic tissue.
   • 1779, John Andree, Observations on the Theory and Cure of the Venereal Disease‎^[2]:

     When the caustic is removed, the eschar should be punctured for the discharge of the matter, and then dressed with warm emollient poultices...

3. (figurative or literary) The emotional imprint of a trauma such as grief, loss, or degradation.
   • 1965, John Fowles, The Magus:

     In another minute there was no letter; but, as with every other relationship in my life, an eschar of ashes. The word is rare, but exact.

Related terms

• escharotic

Translations

dry dark scab or scar — see also scab

• Catalan: escara (ca) f
• Finnish: rupi (fi)
• French: escarre (fr)
• German: Schorf (de) m, Grind (de) n (regional), Verkrustung f, Kruste (de) f
• Indonesian: eskar
• Italian: escara (it) f
• Khmer: ក្រមរ (km) (krɑmɑɑ)
• Portuguese: crosta (pt)
• Russian: струп (ru) m (strup)
• Spanish: escara (es)

Anagrams

• Arches, Ascher, Rasche, Schaer, Search, achers, arches, arsech, casher, chares, chaser, raches, search