Neurosurgical Terms - Chapter 1 Flashcards
Acoustic neuroma
A benign tumor of the hearing nerve (eighth cranial nerve), also called vestibular schwannomas. More about acoustic neuromas.
Adenoma
A benign growth formed of glandular tissue.
Allograft
A graft of bone or tissue between individuals of the same species. Allografts are usually obtained from cadavers.
Aneurysm
An abnormal bulging or stretching of a weakened wall of a blood vessel.
Angiography (arteriography)
Imaging of blood vessels using injected contrast material (dye) to better visualize the vessels. The word is derived from angio (blood vessels) and gram (record or picture).
Angioplasty
The reconstitution or recanalization of a blood vessel. Angioplasty may involve balloon dilation, the mechanical stripping of intima (innermost layer of an artery), forceful injection of a thrombolytic (clot-busting) agent, or the placement of a stent (vessel prosthesis).
Annulus
The tough outer ring of a spinal disk.
Anticoagulant
A medication that prevents coagulation of the blood.
Aphasia
Difficulty with language, or the loss of use of language, in reading, writing, or speaking. This failure to understand the written, printed, or spoken word is not related to intelligence, but to specific lesions in the brain.
Arachnoid
The middle of three membranes that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord.
Arachnoiditis
Inflammation of the arachnoid membrane, most commonly seen within the spinal cord around the spinal cord and cauda equina.
Arteriosclerosis
A thickening and calcification of the arterial wall with loss of elasticity and contractility.
Arteriovenous
Relating to both arteries and veins.
Arteriovenous malformation (AVM)
A collection of blood vessels with one or more abnormal communications between arteries and veins, which may cause hemorrhage or seizures.
Arthrodesis
The surgical fixation or fusion of a joint.
