Abdomen_Lab Manual Vocab Flashcards
Aneurysm
Aneurysm: a balloon-like swelling of the wall of an artery, vein, or heart; generally the result of a congenital defect in the wall or degenerative disease or infection (example: atherosclerosis or syphilis); dissecting aneurysm is longitudinal splitting of the arterial wall from hemorrhage.
Anorexia
Anorexia: loss of appetite.
Ascites
Ascites: abnormal intraperitoneal accumulation of serous fluid.
Ballottement
Ballottement: a palpation technique used in detecting or examining a floating object in the body.
Borborygmi
Borborygmi: a gurgling, splashing sound heard over the large intestine; caused by passage of flatus through the intestine.
Cholecystitis
Cholecystitis: inflammation of the gallbladder.
Cholelithiasis
Cholelithiasis: stone formation in the gallbladder.
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis: a chronic disease of the liver characterized by fibrosis and alteration of normal liver architecture into structurally abnormal nodules.
Colic
Colic: spasm in any hollow tubular soft organ accompanied by pain.
Constipation
Constipation: difficult defecation; infrequent defecation with passage of unduly hard dry fecal material; sluggish action of the bowels. Often this is defined as less than three bowel movements per week.
Diarrhea
Diarrhea: frequent liquid or loose stools lasting less than four weeks in duration.
Dyschezia
Dyschezia: painful or difficult bowel movement.
Dyspepsia
Dyspepsia: imperfect digestion. Not a disease in itself but symptomatic of other diseases or disorders. Characterized by vague abdominal discomfort, a sense of fullness after eating, eructation, heartburn, nausea and vomiting, and loss of appetite.
Dysphagia
Dysphagia: difficulty in swallowing.
Fistula
Fistula: an abnormal tube like passage from a normal cavity or tube to a free surface or to another cavity. May be congenital due to incomplete closure of parts or may result from abscesses, injuries, or inflammatory processes.
Gastroesophageal reflux
Gastroesophageal reflux: burning gnawing pain in mid-epigastrium worsens with recumbency.
Hematemesis
Hematemesis: vomiting of blood.
Hematochezia
Hematochezia: passage of stool containing blood.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis: inflammation of the liver resulting on diffuse or patchy infiltrates.
Hernia
Hernia: protrusion of an organ or tissue through an opening in the muscle wall.
Hydronephrosis
Hydronephrosis: dilation of the renal pelvis and calces due to obstruction.
Icterus
Icterus: pigmentation of the tissues, membranes, and secretions of the eye with bile pigment.
Intussusception
Intussusception: prolapse or telescoping of one segment of intestine n into another, causing intestinal obstruction.
Irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome: disorder of intestinal motility.
Jaundice
Jaundice: a condition characterized by yellowness of the skin, mucous membranes, and body fluids due to deposition of bile pigment resulting from excess bilirubin in the blood.
Kehr sign
Kehr sign: abdominal pain radiating to the left shoulder, due to peritoneal irritation from blood or other irritants.
Melena
Melena: evacuations resembling tar, due to action of intestinal juices on free blood.
Mesentery
Mesentery: fan-shaped fold of peritoneum that holds the small intestine to the abdominal wall.
Peristalsis
Peristalsis: the wavelike motion by which the alimentary tract propels its content.
Pyelonephritis
Pyelonephritis: infection of the kidney.
Pyloric stenosis
Pyloric stenosis: narrowing of the pyloric orifice. This may be due to excessive thickening of the circular muscle of the pylorus or hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the mucosa and submucosa.
Pylorus
Pylorus: distal section of the stomach.
Resonance
Resonance: a percussion sound obtained when the body part can vibrate freely.
Reflux
Reflux: a return or backward flow.
Striae
Striae: streaks or lines (with a silvery white or purple hue); skin striae result from weakening of the elastic tissue associated with pregnancy, weight gain, rapid growth periods, and high levels of corticosteroids.
Tympany
Tympany: a low pitched, resonant, drumlike sound heard while percussing the surface of a large, air containing body space.
Volvulus
Volvulus: twisting of the intestine resulting in obstruction.
