What specific long-term condition involves the body forming a small lump around an unresolvable spine fragment?
Answer
Granulomatous reaction.
A granulomatous reaction is a chronic inflammatory response characterized by the encapsulation of a foreign body that the body's mechanisms cannot successfully clear or absorb. In the context of cactus injury, if fine spine fragments remain deep within the tissue, the immune system attempts to sequester them permanently. It does this by massing immune cells, forming a small, localized nodule or lump around the irritant. This walled-off structure, the granuloma, represents the body's attempt to isolate the persistent foreign material, and it can remain palpable and symptomatic for extended periods, sometimes requiring external removal.
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