Pathology & Procedures Flashcards
Abdominocentesis
surgical puncture of the abdominal cavity to remove fluid for diagnostic purposes.
Ablation
The removal or destruction of the function of a body part.
Abortion
The interruption or termination of pregnancy before the fetus is viable.
Abrasion
An injury in which superficial layers of skin are scrapped or rubbed away; treatment involving scrapping or rubbing the skin away.
Abruptio placentae
An abnormal condition in which the placenta separates from the uterine wall prematurely before the birth of the fetus.
Abscess
A localized collection of purulent exudate (pus) within a circumscribed area,
Accommodation
The process whereby eyes make adjustments for seeing objects at various distances.
ACE inhibitors
(Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors) - medications administered to treat hypertension and congestive heart failure.
Acetone
A substance with a sweet fruity odor that is found in small quantities in normal urine and in large quantities in diabetic urine.
Achilles tendinitis
Inflammation of the Achilles Tendon caused by excessive stress being placed on the tendon.
Achlorhydria
The absence of hydrochloric acid from gastric secretions.
Acne vulgaris
A chronic inflammatory disease characterized by pustular eruptions of the skin in or near the sebaceous glands.
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
The advanced stage of HIV infection
Acromegaly
Enlargement of the extremities (hands and feet) caused by excessive secretion of the growth hormone after puberty.
Acronym
A word formed from the initial letter or letters of the major parts of a compound term.
Acrophobia
An excessive fear of high places
Actinic keratosis
A per-cancerous skin lesion caused by excessive exposure to the sun.
Acute Nasipharyngitis
Inflammation if the nose and throat; among the terms used to describe the common cold; also known as an upper respiratory infection
Acute respiratory distress syndrome
A type of lung failure resulting from many different disorders that cause pulmonary edema.
Addiction
Compulsive, uncontrollable, deep dance on a substance, habit, or action to the degree that stopping causes severe emotional, mental, or physiologic reactions.
Addison’s disease
A progressive disease in which the adrenal glands do not produce enough cortisol that if untreated can produce A life threatening addisonian crisis
Adenectomy
Surgical removal of a gland
Adenitis
Inflammation of a gland
Adenocarcinoma
Any one of a large group of carcinomas derived from glandular tissue
Adenoidectomy
Surgical removal of the adenoids
Adenoma
A benign tumor in which the cells form recognizable glandular structures.
Adenoma, pituitary
A benign tumor of the pituitary gland that causes excess hormone secretion. An ACTH-secreting tumor stimulated the excess production of cortisol that causes most cases of Cushing’s Syndrome.
Adenoma, prolactin-producing
A benign tumor of the pituitary gland that causes it to produce too much prolactin, also known as prolactinoma
Adenomalacia
Abnormal softening of a gland
Adenosclerosis
Abnormal hardening of a gland
Adenosis
Any disease condition of a gland
Adhesion
A band of fibrous tissue that holds structures together abnormally.
Adrenalitis
Inflammation of the adrenal glands
Adrenitis
Inflammation of the adrenal glands
Adrenomegaly
Enlargement of the adrenal glands
Adrenopathy
Any disease of the adrenal glands
Acrophobia
The spasmodic swelling of air followed by erucations
Agglutination testing
Laboratory tests that involve the clumping together of cells or partials when mixed with incompatible serum. These tests are performed to determine the patients blood type and to check compatibility of donor and recipient blood before transfusion.
Agoraphobia
An overwhelming and irrational fear of leaving the familiar setting of home or venturing into the open.
Albinism
An inherited deficiency or absence of pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes due to an abnormality in the production of melanin.
Albuminuria
The presence of the serum protein albumin in urine
Alcoholism
Chronic dependence on or abuse of alcohol with specific signs and symptoms of withdrawal.
Aldosteronism
An abnormality of electrolyte balance caused by excessive secretion of aldosterone.
Allergen
An antigen capable of inducing an allergic response
Allergic rhinitis
Commonly referred to as an allergy, it is an allergic reaction to airborne allergens that cause increased flow of mucus.
Allergist
A specialist in diagnosing and treating conditions of allergic reactions and altered immunologic reactivity.
Allergy
An overreaction by the body to a particular antigen; also known as hypersensitivity.
Allogenic
Originating within another
Alopecia
The partial or complete loss of hair; also known as baldness
Alopecia areata
A disease of unknown cause in which there are well defined bald areas, usually on the scalp and face.
Alopecia capitis totalis
A condition characterized by the loss of all the hair on the scalp
Alopecia universalis
The total loss of hair on all parts of the body
Alzheimer’s disease
A group of disorders associated with degenerative changes in the brain structure leading to characteristic symptoms including progressive memory loss, impaired cognition, and personality changes.
Amblyopia
Dimness of vision or the partial loss of sight without detectable disease of the eye.
Amebic dysentery
An intestinal infection caused by Entamoeba histolytica amoeba
Amenorrhea
The absence of menstrual periods. This condition Is normal only before puberty, during pregnancy, during breast feeding, and after menopause.
Ametropia
An error of refraction in which objects located a finite distance from the eye are focused on the retina.
Amnesia
A disturbance in the memory marked by total or partial inability to recall past experiences.
Amniocentesis
Surgical puncture to remove a specimen of amniotic fluid for diagnostic purposes.w
Amobarbital
A barbiturate used as a sedative and a hypnotic.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
A degenerative disease of the motor neurons in which patients become progressively weaker until they are completely paralyzed; also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease
Analgesic
A drug that relieves pain without affecting consciousness
Analgesic, narcotic
Medication, such as morphine and codeine, that is used to relieve severe pain but that may cause dependence or addiction.
Analgesic, nonnarcotic
Medication such as aspirin, that is used to relieve mild to moderate pain.
Anaphylaxis
A severe response to a foreign substance such as a drug, food, insect venom, or chemical.
Anaplasia
Change in the structure of cells and in their orientation to each other.
Anastomosis
A surgical connection between two hollow or tubular structures
Anemia
A disorder characterized by lower than Normal levels of red blood cells in the blood.
Anemia, aplastic
A marked absence of all formed blood elements.
Anemia, Cooley’s
A group of genetic disorders characterized by short-lived red blood cells lacking the normal ability to produce hemoglobin; also known as thalassemia
Anemia, hemolytic
A condition in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than the bone marrow can replace them.
Anemia, megaloblastic
A from of anemia in which bone marrow produces abnormal red blood cells with reduced capacity to carry oxygen.
Anemia, pernicious
An autoimmune disorder resulting in the inability of the body to absorb vitamin b12 normally.
Anemia, sickle cell
A genetic disorder that causes abnormal hemoglobin that results in the red blood cells assuming an abnormal sickle shape.
Anesthesia
The absence of normal sensation, especially sensitivity to pain
Anesthesia, epidural
Regional anesthesia produced by injecting a local anesthetic into the epidural space of the lumbar or sacral region of the spine
