English dictionary of medical terms (16)
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- No:300 - cataract
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(L. cataracta, from Gr. katarrakts waterfall, floodgate,
portcullis (perhaps because an ocular opacity and a portcullis are
obstructions) an opacity, partial or complete, of one or both eyes,
on or in the lens or capsule, especially an opacity impairing
vision or causing blindness. The many kinds of cataract are
classified by their morphology (size, shape, location) or etiology
(cause and time of occurrence).
- No:301 - catarrh
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(L. catarrhus, from Gr. katarrhein to flow down) inflammation of a
mucous membrane, with a free discharge (Hippocrates); especially
such inflammation of the air passages of the head and throat.
- No:302 - catheter
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(Gr. kathetr) a tubular, flexible, surgical instrument for
withdrawing fluids from (or introducing fluids into) a cavity of
the body, especially one for introduction into the bladder through
the urethra for the withdraw of urine.
- No:303 - catheterization
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the employment or passage of a catheter.
- No:304 - caudal
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denoting a position more toward the cauda, or tail, than some
specified point of reference; same as inferior, in human anatomy.
- No:305 - causal
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pertaining to a cause; directed against a cause.
- No:306 - caustic
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(L. causticus; Gr. kaustikos) an escharotic or corrosive agent.
Called also cauterant.
- No:307 - cavity
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(L. cavitas) a hollow place or space, or a potential space, within
the body or in one of its organs; it may be normal or pathological.
- No:308 - cell membrane
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cell membrane = plasma membrane. The structure enveloping a cell,
enclosing the cytoplasm, and forming a selective permeability
barrier; it consists of lipids, proteins, and some carbohydrates,
the lipids thought to form a bilayer in which integral proteins are
embedded to varying degrees.
- No:309 - cellulitis
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(cellule + -itis) an acute, diffuse, spreading, edematous,
suppurative inflammation of the deep subcutaneous tissues and
sometimes muscle, which may be associated with abscess formation.
It is usually caused by infection of an operative or traumatic
wound, burn, or other cutaneous lesion by various bacteria, but
group A streptococci and Staphylococcus aureus are the most common
etiologic agents. Cellulitis may also occur in immunocompromised
hosts, or it may follow erysipelas. It tends to spread to tissue
spaces and cleavage planes owing to bacterial elaboration of large
amounts of hyaluronidases that, break down polysaccharide ground
substance, fibrinolysins that digest fibrin barriers, and
lecithinases that destroy cell membranes. Clinical manifestations
include an area of edema, warmth, and tenderness with indistinct
margins. Cf. erysipelas.
- No:310 - cephalalgia
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(Gr. kephalalgia) pain in the head; headache. Called also
cephalgia and cephalodynia.
- No:311 - cerebellar
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pertaining to the cerebellum.
- No:312 - cerebral
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of or pertaining of the cerebrum or the brain.
- No:313 - cerebrospinal
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pertaining to the brain and spinal cord.
- No:314 - cerebrovascular
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pertaining to the blood vessels of the cerebrum, or brain.
- No:315 - cerumen
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(L. from cera wax) the waxlike secretion found within the external
meatus of the ear; called also earwax.
- No:316 - cervical
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(L. cervicalis, from cervix neck) pertaining to the neck, or to the
neck of any organ or structure.
- No:317 : cervix
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neck; (NA) a term denoting the front portion of the collum, or neck
(the part connecting the head and trunk), or a constricted part of
an organ (e.g. cervix uteri). c. of axon, a constricted part of an
axon, before the myelin sheath is added. c. columnae posterioris
medullae spinalis NA alternative for c. cornus dorsalis medullae
spinalis. c. cornus dorsalis medullae spinalis (NA), neck of
dorsal horn of spinal cord : the constricted portion of the dorsal
horn, or column, of grey matter in the spinal cord between the base
of the horn and the head; called also c. cornus posterioris
medullae spinalis (NA alternative) and neck of posterior horn of
spinal cord. c. dentis, (NA), the slightly constricted region of
union of the crown and the root or roots of a tooth; called also
collum dentis, dental neck, and neck of tooth. c. glandis, collum
glandis penis. incompetent c., one that is abnormally prone to
dilate in the second trimester of pregnancy, resulting in premature
expulsion of the fetus (middle trimester abortion). c. mallei,
collum mallei. tapiroid c., a uterine cervix with a peculiarly
elongated anterior lip. c. uteri, neck of uterus : the lower and
narrow end of the uterus, between the isthmus and the ostium uteri.
- No:318 - chelation
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combination with a metal in complexes in which the metal is part of
a ring.
- No:319 - chemical
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1. of, or pertaining to, chemistry. 2. a substance composed of
chemical elements or obtained by chemical processes.
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