Medical Terminology - Final Review

laceration

torn or jagged wound

periodontium

bone and soft tissues that surround and support the teeth

heart failure

chronic condition in which the heart is unable to pump out all of the blood that is receives

meningitis

inflammation of the connective tissues that encloses the spinal cord and brain

ileus

partial or complete blockage of the small and/or large intestine that is caused by the stopping of normal intestinal peristalsis

astigmatism

condition in which the eye does not focus properly because of uneven curvatures of the cornea

irrigation and debridement

procedure in which pressurized fluid is used to clean out wound debris

causalgia

persistent severe burning pain that usually follows an injury to a sensory nerve

carotid endarterectomy

a procedure to reduce the risk of a stroke caused by a disruption of the blood flow to the brain

otorrhagia

bleeding from the ear

pruritus

itching

angina

episodes of severe chest pain due to inadequate blood flow to the myocardium

meconium

greenish material that forms the first stools of a newborn

paradoxical reaction

result of medical treatment that yields the exact opposite of normally expected results

prognosis

prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disease or disorder

jaundice

yellow discoloration of the skin, mucous membranes, and the eyes

Colles' fracture

a fracture that occurs at the lower end of the radius when a person tries to break a fall by landing on his or her hands

nocturia

excessive urination during the night

sebaceous cyst

closed sac associated with a sebaceous gland that contains yellow, fatty material

lymphadenitis

commonly known as swollen glands

spasm

sudden, involuntary contraction of one or more muscles

pertussis

respiratory disease commonly known as whooping cough

natural killer cells

the lymphocytes that play an important role in the killing of cancer cells and cells infected by viruses

scoliosis

abnormal lateral curvature of the spine

ileostomy

surgical creation of an artificial excretory opening between the ileum and the outside of the abdominal wall

fluoroscopy

visualization of body parts in motion by projecting x-ray images on a luminous fluorescent screen

emphysema

when the condition progresses, the chest sometimes assumes an enlarges barrel shape

hemostasis

to stop or control bleeding

pyosalpinx

an accumulation of pus in the fallopian tube

cerebral contusion

bruising of brain tissue as a result of a head injury

hematemesis

vomiting blood

percussion

diagnostic procedure designed to determine the density of a body part by the sound produced by tapping the surface with the fingers

hyperventilation

abnormally rapid, deep breathing resulting in decreased levels of carbon dioxide in the blood

dysuria

difficult or painful urination

delusion

false personal belief that is maintained despite obvious proof or evidence to the contrary

artrial fibrillation

normal rhythmic contractions of the atria are replaced by rapid irregular twitching of the muscular heart wall

glaucoma

eye condition that is characterized by increased intraocular pressure

hematospermia

presence of blood in the seminal fluid

presbyopia

condition of common changes in the eyes that occur with aging

cranial cavity

body cavity that protects the brain

cystocele

hernia of the bladder through the vaginal wall

autism

condition of a young child that is characterized by the inability to develop normal social relationships

tinnitus

ringing, buzzing, or roaring sound in one or both ears

pandemic

an outbreak of a disease occurring over a large geographic are area that is possibly worldwide

ascites

abnormal accumulation of serous fluid in the peritoneal cavity

macule

discolored flat spot that is less than 1 cm in diameter, such as a freckle

Western blot test

test to confirm an HIV infection

menometrorrhagia

excessive uterine bleeding at both the usual time of menstrual periods and at other irregular intervals

Peyronie's disease

form of sexual dysfunction in which the penis is bent or curved during erection

bruit

abnormal sound or murmur heard during ausculation of an artery

osteroarthritis

condition commonly known as wear-and-tear arthritis

tenolysis

free a tendon from adhesions

Hodgkin's lymphoma

malignant condition that is distinguished by the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells

cirrhosis

chronic, degenerative disease characterized by scarring that causes disturbance of the structure and function of the liver

hemodialysis

removal of waste products directly from the bloodstream of patients whose kidneys no longer function

syncope

condition commonly known as fainting

ischemia

condition is which there is an insufficient supply of oxygen in the tissues due to a restricted blood flow to a part of the body

hemotorax

collection of blood in the pleural cavity

regurgitation

return of swallowed food into the mouth

dacryoadenitis

inflammation of the lacrimal gland that can be a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection

miosis

the contraction of the pupil, normally in response to exposure to light, but also possibly due to the use of prescription or illegal drugs

polyuria

excessive urination

cholescystectomy

surgical removal of the gallbladder

erythrocyte sedimentation rate

if elevated, it indicates the presence of inflammation in the body

fissure

groove or crack-like break in the skin

subcutaneous injection

injection made into the fatty layer just below the skin

thymus

roles in both the immune and endocrine system

encephalitis

inflammation of the brain

leptin

hormone secreted by fat cells

Foley catheter

type of catheter made of flexible tube with a balloon filled with sterile water at the end to hold it in place in the bladder

nosocomial infection

acquired in a hospital or clinic setting

hospital-acquired pneumonia

type of pneumonia contracted during a stay in the hospital when the patient's defenses are impaired

diabetic retinopathy

an eye disorder that can develop as a complication of diabetes

cachexia

physical wasting with the loss of weight and muscle mass due to diseases such as advanced cancer

dysphagia

difficulty in swallowing

hemorrhagic stroke

occurs when a blood vessel in the brain leaks or sutures

acromegaly

hormonal disorder that results from the pituitary gland producing too much growth hormone in adults

onychocryptosis

condition commonly known as an ingrown toenail

opthalmoscope

instrument used to examine the interior of the eye

hiatal hernia

protrusion of part of the stomach upward into the chest through an opening in the diaphragm

episiotomy

surgical incision made to enlarge the vaginal orifice to facilitate childbirth

pruritus vulvae

severe itching of the external femal genitalia

neurogenic bladder

urinary problem caused by interference with the normal nerve pathways associated with urination

speculum

instrument used to enlarge the opening of any canal or cavity to facilitate inspection of its interior

crust

aka scab, a collection of dried serum and cellular debris

myeloma

type of cancer that occurs in blood-making cells found in the red bone marrow

aspiration pneumonia

occurs when a foreign substance, such as vomit, is inhaled into the lungs

otosclerosis

ankylosis of the bones of the middle ear that causes a conductive hearing loss

arthrodesis

surgical fusion of two bones to stiffen a joint

-rrhexis

rupture

claustrophobia

abnormal fear of being in small or enclosed spaces

dyskinesia

distortion or impairment of voluntary movement such as in a tic or spasm

liver

structure that secretes bile

electroencephalography

process of recording the electrical activity of the brain

-pexy

surgical fixation

macular degeneration

eye condition that causes the loss of central vision, but not total blindness

rhytidectomy

procedure to remove excess skin and fat for the elimination of wrinkles

hemiplegia

total paralysis affecting only one side of the body

metastasis

new cancer site that results from the spreading process

adrenocorticotropic hormone

hormone produced by the pituitary gland