Definitions Flashcards
(66 cards)
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulopathy (DIC)
- syndrome characterised by the systemic activation of blood coagulation, generating intravascular fibrin, leading to thrombosis of small- and medium‐sized vessels, and eventually organ dysfunction
- eventually many clotting factors are used up – therefore patients begin to bleed
Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT or PTT)
a measure of the functionality of the intrinsic and common pathways of the coagulation cascade
Prothrombin time (PT)
a measure of the functionality of the extrinsic and common pathways of the coagulation cascade
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
- syndrome of respiratory failure with the formation of non-cardiogenic oedema leading to reduced lung compliance and hypoxemia which is refractory to oxygen therapy
- There are bilateral diffuse pulmonary infiltrates on CXR or CT, a pulmonary wedge pressure of <18 mmHg and PaO2:FiO2 ration <200 mmHg
Monroe-Kellie Doctrine
- Cranial vault is a fixed space consisting of 3 components: blood (10%), CSF (10%), and brain parenchyma (80%).
- Expansion of one of these components leads to a compensatory decrease in another in order to maintain ICP.
- When this compensatory mechanism can no longer can compensate – a small increase in volume in volume leads to exponential rise in ICP.
Aneurysm
An abnormal, permanent, localised dilatation of a vessel wall to >1.5x its normal diameter
Sepsis
- a systemic inflammatory response syndrome in the presence of confirmed or suspected infection
Severe Sepsis
- sepsis with evidence of end-organ dysfunction e.g. raised lactate, oliguria, altered mental state
Septic Shock
- severe sepsis with hypotension unresponsive to fluid resuscitation
Multi-Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS)
- clinical syndrome characterised by the development of progressive and potentially reversible physiological dysfunction in 2 or more organs or organ systems induced by a variety of acute insults including sepsis
Refeeding Syndrome
- metabolic disturbances that occur as a result of shifts in fluid and electrolytes that may occur when nutrition is re-instated in the malnourished patient
Cushing reflex
- a mixed vagal and sympathetic stimulation occurring in response to elevated intracranial pressure – leading to hypertension and bradycardia
TURP Syndrome
- rare but potentially fatal conition condition that occurs post-TURP procedure as a result of absorption of fluids into the prostatic venous sinuses
Compartment Syndrome
- an increase in interstitial fluid pressure within an osseo-facial compartment with sufficient magnitude to cause compromise of the microcirculation leading to myoneural necrosis
Melanoma
- Malignant neoplasm of melanocytes
Basal Call Carcinoma
- Locally invasive epidermal skin tumour (rarely metastases and thought to arise from hair follicles)
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- Malignant neoplasm arsing from the keratinocytes of the epidermis
Breslow Thickness
- Tumour invasion depth from top of granular layer of the epidermis (stratum granolosum) to the deepest point of the tumour
Thrombosis
- The process of formation of a solid mass in living circulation from flowing blood constituents
Clot
- Solidification of blood when it is static
Embolism
- An abnormal mass of undissolved material that is carried in the bloodstream from one place to another
Rheumatic heart disease
- Complication of rheumatic fever in which the heart valves are damaged
Giant Cell Arteritis
- a systemic immune-mediated vasculitis affecting medium-sized and large-sized arteries, particularly the carotid artery and its extracranial branches
Endometriosis
- Chronic oestrogen-dependent condition characterised by the growth of endometrial tissue in sites other than the uterine cavity
- most commonly the pelvic cavity (including the ovaries), the uterosacral ligaments, the pouch of Douglas, the rectosigmoid colon, and the bladder and distal ureter.