Edema is best described as

• A. Increased pressure causing swelling that retards healing
• B. Lack of symmetry between body sides
• C. Wasting away of tissue
• D. Malformation of a body part

Answer: (A)

Edema is swelling caused by excess fluid accumulating in the tissues, specifically in the interstitial spaces. This happens when forces that move fluid out of capillaries and into tissues are unbalanced—such as higher capillary hydrostatic pressure, lower plasma oncotic pressure, lymphatic blockage, or increased capillary permeability during inflammation. That fluid buildup makes the area puffy and can hinder healing because it increases the distance nutrients and oxygen must diffuse to repair cells, and it can compress small vessels, slowing tissue repair. The description that emphasizes swelling from fluid buildup that slows healing best matches edema. The other ideas describe different problems: asymmetry isn’t a defining feature of edema, wasting away is atrophy, and malformation is a structural deformity.