Definitions Flashcards
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.
Dysplasia
abnormal cellular growth and differentiation that is confined to the basement membrane of the epithelium
Metaplasia
- a change in epithelium from one type to another