General Terms Flashcards by Courtney W

Point of tenderness in acute appendicitis, situated on the line between umbilicus and right anterior superior iliac spine
2/3 way from umbilicus to ASIS
Appendix on right side

McBurney’s Point

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Cessation of brain function; lack of response to stimuli, can be kept alive by life support devices, each state has different guidelines
Blood flow is totally lost

Brain death

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Hard, dense bone that forms the surrounding layer of all bones and the shafts of long bones

Compact bone

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Muscle that brings two bones closer together (causing flexion of the part)

Flexor

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Fibrous cord of connective tissue continuous with the fibers of a muscle and attaching the muscle to bone or cartilage

Tendon

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Cephalo

Head/upward

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Injury in which the skin is not broken, a bruise

Contusion

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Slow progression or little change

Ex: acute pain doesn’t usually last longer than 6 months vs chronic pain that can last for years

Chronic

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Band of fibrous tissue connecting bones or cartilages, serving to support and strengthen joints

Ligament

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Antero

Front

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Surgically created opening in the body for the discharge of body wastes
Disease or injury such as cancer, trauma, inflammatory bowel disease, and certain birth defects can block the flow and drainage of stool; if the segment of the intestine cannot be repaired, then your surgeon will perform this
Reroutes the stool to a new opening on the abdomen

Ostomy

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Spread, movement of bacteria or body cells from one part of the body to another
Ex: cancer

Metastasis

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Infection acquired in a hospital
#1 way to prevent is hand washing

Nosocomial

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Drug that relieves pain

Analgesics

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Infection caused by fungi; ex: athlete’s foot

Fungal infection

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Dizziness

Common cause is an inner ear infection

Vertigo

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Having stem like or stalk part

Ex: pedunculated osteochondroma

Pedunculated

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Creation of a surgical passage through the abdominal wall into the ileum/small intestine
Produces watery output

Ileostomy

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Inability to prevent discharge of urine or feces

Incontinence

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Rapid heartbeat, pulse rate over 100 beats per minute

Tachycardia

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Paralysis of only one side of the body

An injury to the right side of the brain will cause the left side of the body to be paralyzed

Hemiplegia

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Proximo

Near

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Caudo

Tail/downward

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Relief without curing

Ex: supportive care; focuses on providing patients with relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress of a serious illness

Palliative

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Infection caused by bacteria The growth of many disease-causing bacteria can be halted by the use of antibiotics Infections caused by bacteria include strep throat, tuberculosis and urinary tract infections

Bacterial infection

Dryness of the mouth caused by abnormal reduction in the amount of salivary secretion

Xerostomia

Cramp like pain that comes and goes | Angina pectoris = chest pain

Angina

Dead areas of tissue or bone surrounded by heathy parts, cause for debriding Ex: spider bite

Necrosis

Period of least pressure in the arterial vascular system | Normal BP is 120/80; bottom number

Diastolic pressure

Expectoration of blood arising from the oral cavity, larynx, trachea, bronchi, or lungs; spitting up blood

Hemoptysis

Displacement of any part especially the temporary displacement of a bone from its normal position in a join

Dislocation

Inflammation of the gallbladder

Cholecystitis

Latero

Side

Faint or sudden loss of unconsciousness; fainting Occurs with hypotension Causes: stress, overheated, dehydration, exhaustion

Syncope

Postero

Back, behind

Increased amount of fluid within the synovial compartment of a joint

Joint effusion

The thin plate of cartilage between the epiphysis and the metaphysis of a growing long bone

Epiphyseal (growth) plate

Escape of fluid into a part as the pleural cavity

Pleural effusion

Without known cause | Ex: fibromyalgia

Idiopathic

Profuse sweating

Diaphoresis

Redness of the skin | Causes: strep infection, pregnancy, or certain medications

Erythema

Double vision | Caused by diabetes, nerve problems, muscle problems, lens problems or other problems like, headaches, blood sugar, etc.

Diplopia

Condition of unconsciousness, lethargy with suppression of sense or feeling, ex: epilepsy During a seizure

Stupor

Drug that opposes the action of a histamine | Example: allergic reaction to contrast

Antihistamines

Irregularity or loss or rhythm especially of the heart beat

Arrhythmia

Painful inflammation of the sciatic nerve that sometimes results from a herniated intervertebral disc in the spine

Sciatica

Air hunger, resulting in labored or difficult breathing, sometimes accompanied by pain

Dyspnea

Ringing in ears

Tinnitus

Tortuous dilation of a vein

Varices

Reduction in the number of RBC (red blood cells) | Causes are: body doesn’t make enough RBC or destroys them or you are bleeding somewhere

Anemia

Minute reddish or purplish spot containing blood that appears in the skin or mucous membrane as a result of localized hemorrhage

Petechia

Harsh sound during respiration, high pitched and resembling the blowing of wind due to obstruction of air passages Ex: smoke inhalation

Stridor

Surgical removal of all or part of an organ or area of diseased tissue; ex: colon resection

Resection

Substance or agent that causes cancer

Carcinogen

Divided head to foot

Axial

Narrowing of a passage caused by pathology

Stenosis

Accumulation of fluid in the space between the lining of the abdomen and abdominal organs (the peritoneal cavity) May be caused by cirrhosis (chronic liver disease), cancer, heart failure, kidney failure, TB, and pancreatic disease

Ascites

Lack of color, paleness

Pallor

Collection of pus caused by infection or trauma Ex: liver abscess Needs immediate attention

Abcess

Inflammation of a joint or state characterized by inflammation of joints

Arthritis

Decrease in size Cause: non use For example a quadriplegic

Atrophy

Abnormal development of tissue | Cause is unclear, family history?

Dysplasia

The opening of some portion of the colon/large intestine through the abdominal wall to its outside surface Produces stool with more form

Colostomy

Not penetrated by visible light rays or by other forms of radiant energy such as x-rays Ex: coins

Opaque

Inadequate blood supply to an organ or part of the body

Ischemia

Disto

Away

Dorso

Back

Sudden, rapid onset or more harmful to body | Acute pain doesn’t usually last longer than 6 months vs chronic pain that can last for years

Acute

Supero

Above

The act or process of making a hole, such as that caused by ulceration

Perforation

Divided anterior and posterior

Coronal

Severe itching, may be a symptom of a disease process such as allergic response, or may be due to emotional factors Ex: people who have dry skin or eczema

Pruritus

General term for chronic diseases such as bronchitis and emphysema that cause the airways in the lung to become narrowed, limiting airflow to and from the lungs and causing SOB

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Slow heartbeat, pulse rate under 60 beats per minute

Bradycardia

A disease of the root of a nerve, such as from a pinched nerve or a tumor

Radioculopathy

Edema and inflammation of the optic nerve at its point of entrance into the eyeball Common causes: trauma or tumor

Papilledema

Muscle that extends a part

Extensor

Narrowing or constriction of the lumen of a tube, duct, or organ caused by muscle constriction

Stricture

Maximum blood pressure, occurs during contraction of the ventricles Normal BP is 120/80; top number

Systolic pressure

Denoting any medication route other than the alimentary (digestive tract) canal such as IV, subcutaneous, IM, or mucosal

Parenteral

Infero

Below

Not cancerous, non-malignant

Benign

Vessels that carry blood away from the heart

Artery

High blood pressure

Hypertension

Paralysis of all four extremities and usually the trunk The higher the injury the less function available Injury above the 3rd cervical vertebra requires a mechanical respiratory device to maintain life

Quadraplegia/tetraplegia

Medio

Middle

Bone in which form a latticework, with interstices filled with embryonic connective tissue or bone marrow

Spongy bone

Adverse mental or physical condition induced in a patient by effects of treatment by a physician/surgeon Ex: nicking the patient with a surgical instrument during surgery

Iatrogenic

Low blood pressure; syncope can occur

Hypotension

Paralysis of lower portion of body and both legs

Paraplegia

Infection caused by a virus At present, these infections cannot be treated with antibiotics Diseases caused by these infections include herpes, chicken pox, hepatitis, influenza, and the common cold

Viral infections

An injury resulting from impact with an object

Concussion

Actual end of the small or large bowel that can be seen protruding through the abdominal wall Size and location of this depends on your specific operation and the shape of your abdomen

Stoma

Divided into right and left

Sagittal

Downward bulge forward displacement; ex: eyeball from inflammation

Proptosis

Protrusion or projection of an organ or part of an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it

Hernia

Course of law (legal proceedings)

Forensics

Impairment of speech resulting from a brain disease, lesion, or injury Causes: stroke, Alzheimer’s Disease, etc.

Dysphasia

Inability to swallow or difficulty in swallowing | Muscles and nerves that help move food through the throat and esophagus are not working correctly

Dysphagia

One of the large systems of branching vessels that collect blood which the arteries have distributed to body tissues and returns it to the heart and then the lungs

Vein