Chapter 12 [Nervous System and Mental Health] Procedures Flashcards
Laboratory examination of clear, watery colorless fluid from within brain and spinal cord; infections and abnormal presence of blood can be detected in
this test
cerebrospinal fluid analysis
Image of the brain taken after injection of
radioactive isotopes into circulation
brain scan
X-ray of blood vessels of the brain after
injection of radiopaque dye
cerebral angiography
Recording of ultrasonic echoes of the brain:
useful in determining abnormal patterns of
shifting in the brain
echoencephalography
X-ray record of the spinal cord
myelogram
Injection of radiopaque dye into the spinal canal;
X-ray is then taken to examine normal and abnormal outlines made by dye
myelography
Image of the brain cut along a plane produced by measuring gamma rays emitted from the brain after injecting glucose tagged with positively charged isotopes; measurement of glucose uptake by brain tissue indicates measurement of metabolic activity
positron emission tomography (PET)
Reflex test developed by French neurologist Joseph Babinski to determine lesions and abnormalities in the nervous system; Babinski’s reflex is present if
great toe extends instead of flexes when lateral sole of the foot is stroked; normal response to this stimulation is flexion of the toe
Babinski’s reflex
Record of the brain’s electrical patterns
electroencephalogram (EEG)
Recording electrical activity of the brain by placing electrodes at various positions on the scalp; also used in sleep studies to determine if there is a normal pattern of activity during sleep
electroencephalography (EEG)
Puncture with needle into lumbar area
(usually fourth intervertebral space) to with.
draw fluid for examination and for injection
anesthesia;
lumbar puncture (LP)
Test to determine if nerves have been damaged by recording rate an electrical impulse is able to travel along a nerve; if nerve is damaged, velocity will be decreased
nerve conduction velocity
Administering medication to produce loss of feeling or sensation
anesthesia
Produces loss of consciousness including absence
of pain sensation; patient’s vital signs (VS) -heart rate, breathing rate, puise, and blood pressure -are
carefully monitored witan using general anesthetic
general anestesia (GA)
Route for administering general anesthesia via injection into vein
intravenous (IV) anesthesia
Produces loss of sensation in one localized part of
body; patient remains conscious
local anesthesia
Interrupts patient’s pain sensation in region of body, such as the arm; anesthetic is injected near nerve that will be blocked from sensation; also called nerve block
regional anesthesia
Method of applying local anesthesia involving injecting anesthetic under the skin; for example, used to deaden skin prior to suturing a laceration
subcutaneous anesthesia
Method of applying local anesthesia involving plac-
ing liquid or gel directly onto specific area of skin;
for example, used on the skin, cornea, or gums
topical anesthesia
Injection of regional anesthetic to stop passage of
sensory or pain impulses along a nerve path
nerve block
Application of mild electrical current by device
with electrodes placed on skin over a painful area;
relieves pain by interfering with nerve signal to the
brain on pain nerve
transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
Surgical procedure for removing obstruction within carotid artery, a major artery in the neck that carries oxygenated blood to the brain; developed to prevent strokes, but is found to be useful only in severe stenosis with transient ischemic attack
carotid endarterectomy
Surgical procedure in which bypass is created to
drain cerebrospinal fluid; used to treat hydrocephalus by draining excess cerebrospinal fluid from the brain and diverting it to abdominal cavity
cerebrospinal fluid shunt
Removal of a portion of a vertebra, called the
lamina, in order to relieve pressure on spinal nerve
laminectomy
Surgical removal of a nerve
neurectomy
Surgical repair of a nerve
neuroplasty
To suture a nerve back together; actually refers to
suturing connective tissue sheath around the nerve
neurorrhaphy
Precision cutting of a nerve tract in the spinal cord;
used to treat intractable pain or muscle spasms
tractotomy
Treats minor to moderate pain without loss of consciousness
analgesic
Produces loss of sensation or loss of consciousness
anesthetic
Reduces excitability of neurons and therefore prevents uncontrolled neuron activity
associated with seizures
anticonvulsant
Treat Parkinson’s disease by either replacing dopamine that is lacking or increasing strength
of dopamine that is present
dopaminergic drugs
Promotes sleep
hypnotic
Treats severe pain; has potential to be habit forming if taken for prolonged time;
narcotic analgesic
