Neurosurgical Terms - Chapter 4

Question 1

Diphenylhydantoin

Answer 1

Dilantin; a medication used to control seizures. More about epilepsy in adults and epilepsy in children.

Question 2

Diplopia

Answer 2

Double vision, due usually to weakness or paralysis of one or more of the extra-ocular muscles.

Question 3

Disc

Answer 3

The intervertebral disc is a cartilaginous cushion found between the vertebrae of the spinal column. It may bulge beyond the vertebral body and compress the nearby nerve root, causing pain. The terms “slipped disc,” “ruptured disc,” and “herniated disc” are often used interchangeably, even though there are subtle differences.

Question 4

Disc degeneration (also called degenerative disc disease)

Answer 4

A flattening or “wear and tear” of the disc.

Question 5

Dome

Answer 5

The round balloon-like portion of an aneurysm that usually forms above a smaller portion called the neck of the aneurysm.

Question 6

Doppler

Answer 6

A non-invasive study that uses sound waves to show the flow in a blood vessel and can be used to determine the degree of narrowing (percent stenosis) of the vessel. A wand is placed on the skin over the vessel to be imaged. This study has no risks and is not painful.

Question 7

Dura mater

Answer 7

A tough fibrous membrane that covers the brain and spinal cord but is separated from them by a small space.

Question 8

Dysesthesia

Answer 8

A condition in which a disagreeable sensation is produced by ordinary touch, temperature, or movement.

Question 9

Dysphasia

Answer 9

Difficulty in the use of language without mental impairment due to a brain lesion.

Question 10

Dystonias

Answer 10

A group of movement disorders that vary in their symptoms, causes, progression, and treatments. This group of neurological conditions is generally characterized by involuntary muscle contractions that force the body into abnormal, sometimes painful, movements and positions (postures).