Copy of `Dorland's Medical Dictionary`

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Dorland's Medical Dictionary Category: Health and Medicine > Medical Dictionary Date & country: 31/12/2010, USA Words: 39128

eosinopenia
(e″o-sin-o-pe´ne-ә) abnormal deficiency of eosinophils in the blood.

eosinophil
(e″o-sin´o-fil) a cell or other element readily stainable by eosin. a granular leukocyte with a nucleus that usually has two lobes connected by a thread of chromatin, and cytoplasm containing coarse, round granules of uniform size. Called also eosinophilic leukocyte.

eosinophil adenoma
eosinophilic adenoma growth hormone–secreting adenoma.

eosinophil granule
one of the coarse round granules that stain with eosin and are found in eosinophils.

eosinophilia
(e″o-sin″o-fil´e-ә) the formation and accumulation of an abnormally large number of eosinophils in the blood; see also hypereosinophilia. Called also eosinophilic leukocytosis. the condition of being readily stained with eosin. adj., eosinophil´ic., adj. tropical e...

eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome
a sometimes fatal syndrome of severe myalgia associated with marked peripheral eosinophilia, associated with the ingestion of oral preparations of L-tryptophan; long-term sequelae include scleroderma and progressive neuropathy.

eosinophilic
(e″o-sin″o-fil´ik) staining readily with eosin; pertaining to eosinophils or to eosinophilia.

eosinophilic cellulitis
Wells syndrome.

eosinophilic endomyocardial disease
Löffler endocarditis.

eosinophilic granuloma
Langerhans cell histiocytosis. a disorder similar to eosinophilic gastroenteritis, with nodular or pedunculated lesions of the submucosa and muscle walls, especially in the pyloric region; it is caused by infiltration of eosinophils, but there is not peripheral eosinophilia or allergic symptoms.

eosinophilic granulomatosis
Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

eosinophilic leukemia
a form of leukemia in which the eosinophil is the predominating cell. Although resembling chronic granulocytic leukemia in many ways, this form may follow an acute course despite the absence of predominantly blast forms in the peripheral blood.

eosinophilic leukocyte
eosinophil.

eosinophilic leukocytosis
eosinophilia (def. 1).

eosinophilic pneumonia
see acute and chronic eosinophilic pneumonia. PIE syndrome (def. 2).

eosinophiluria
(e″o-sin″o-fil-u´re-ә) the presence of eosinophils in the urine, as in certain drug sensitivity conditions or disorders of the genitourinary tract.

EP test
erythrocyte protoporphyrin test.

EPA
Environmental Protection Agency.

epallobiosis
(әp-al″o-bi-o´sis) dependency on an external life-support system, as on a heart-lung machine or hemodialyzer.

epaxial
(әp-ak´se-әl) situated above or upon an axis.

ependyma
(ә-pen´dә-mә) the membrane lining the cerebral ventricles and the central canal of the spine. adj., epen´dymal., adj.

ependymal cells
the cells of the ependyma; called also ependymocytes.

ependymoma
(ә-pen″dә-mo´mә) a tumor composed of differentiated cells of the ependyma; most are slow growing and benign, but a few are malignant.

ephapse
(ә-faps´) a point of lateral contact (other than a synapse) between nerve fibers across which impulses are conducted directly through the nerve membranes. adj., ephap´tic., adj.

ephebiatrics
(ә-fe″be-at´riks) the branch of medicine that deals especially with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and problems peculiar to youth.

ephedrine
(ә-fed´rin) (ef´ә-drin) an adrenergic alkaloid obtained from several species of the shrub Ephedra or produced synthetically; used as a bronchodilator, antiasthmatic, central nervous system stimulant, and pressor agent. Administered orally, parenterally, or intranasally as the hydrochloride, sulfat...

ephemeral fever
a slight fever lasting for only one or two days.

epiandrosterone
(ep″e-an-dros´tәr-ōn) an androgenic steroid less active than androsterone and excreted in small amounts in normal human urine.

epiblepharon
(ep″ĭ-blef´ә-ron) a developmental anomaly in which a horizontal fold of skin stretches across the border of the eyelid, pressing the lashes against the eyeball.

epibulbar
(ep″ĭ-bul´bәr) situated upon the eyeball.

epicanthus
(ep″ĭ-kan´thәs) a vertical fold of skin on either side of the nose, sometimes covering the inner canthus; it is a normal characteristic in persons of certain races, but is anomalous in others. adj., epican´thal, epican´thic., adj.

epicardia
(ep″ĭ-kahr´de-ә) the lower portion of the esophagus, extending from the esophageal hiatus to the cardia, the upper orifice of the stomach.

epicardial
(ep″ĭ-kahr´de-әl) pertaining to the visceral pericardium (epicardium) or to the epicardia.

epicardial pacemaker
a temporary pacemaker whose leads are attached to the epicardial surface; usually used in the diagnosis and treatment of postoperative dysrhythmias.

epicardium
(ep″ĭ-kahr´de-әm) the inner layer of the serous pericardium, which is in contact with the heart.

epichorion
(ep″ĭ-kor´e-on) the portion of the uterine mucosa enclosing the implanted conceptus.

epicondyle
(ep″ĭ-kon´dīl) an eminence upon a bone, above its condyle.

epicondylitis
(ep″ĭ-kon″dә-li´tis) inflammation of an epicondyle or of tissues adjoining the humeral epicondyle. Called also tennis elbow.

epicranium
(ep″ĭ-kra´ne-әm) the structures collectively that cover the skull.

epicranius muscle
epicranial muscle: a name given to the muscular covering of the scalp, including the occipitofrontalis and temporoparietalis muscles, and the galea aponeurotica.

epicritic
(ep″ĭ-krit´ik) determining accurately; said of cutaneous nerve fibers sensitive to fine variations of touch or temperature.

epicritic sensibility
the sensibility to gentle stimulations permitting fine discriminations of touch and temperature, localized in the skin.

epicystotomy
(ep″ĭ-sis-tot´ә-me) suprapubic cystotomy.

epidemic
(ep″ĭ-dem´ik) occuring suddenly in numbers clearly in excess of normal expectancy, in contrast to endemic or sporadic. The term is used especially of infectious diseases but is also applied to any disease, injury, or other health-related event occurring in such outbreaks.

epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis
meningococcal meningitis.

epidemic disease
an infectious or other disease that suddenly affects individuals in a population or geographical area clearly in excess of the number of cases normally expected. See also endemic disease.

epidemic encephalitis
any viral encephalitis that occurs in epidemics; common types are Japanese B encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, and tick-borne encephalitis.

epidemic hemorrhagic fever
an acute type of hemorrhagic fever occurring in epidemics in northeastern Asia, and in a milder form in other temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere; symptoms include fever, prostration, vomiting, hemorrhagic phenomena, shock, and renal failure. It is caused by viruses of the genus Hantavirus, which are believed to be...

epidemic keratoconjunctivitis virus
human adenovirus type 8; see Mastadenovirus.

epidemic relapsing fever
louse-borne relapsing fever.

epidemic typhus
the classic form of typhus, caused by Rickettsia prowazekii and spread from person to person by infected human body lice or occasionally head lice. One to two weeks after the louse bite, symptoms begin to appear, including headache, runny nose, cough, nausea, and chest pain, followed in a few days by high fever and chills, vomi...

epidemicity
(ep″ĭ-dә-mis´ĭ-te) the state or quality of being epidemic.

epidemiologist
(ep″ĭ-de″me-ol´ә-jist) one who specializes in epidemiology.

epidemiology
(ep″ĭ-de″me-ol´ә-je) the science concerned with the study of the factors determining and influencing the frequency and distribution of disease, injury, and other health-related events and their causes in a defined human population for the purpose of establishing programs to prevent and contr...

epidermal cell
a cell of the epidermis; the most common types are keratinocytes and melanocytes.

epidermal cyst
an intradermal or subcutaneous cyst containing keratinizing squamous epithelium; it arises from occluded hair follicles. Called also wen.

epidermal graft
a skin graft in which a piece of epidermis is implanted on a raw surface.

epidermal growth factor
(EGF) a mitogenic polypeptide produced by many cell types and made in large amounts by some tumors; it promotes growth and differentiation, is essential in embryogenesis, and is also important in wound healing

epidermal inclusion cyst
a type of epidermal cyst occurring on the head, neck, or trunk, formed by keratinizing squamous epithelium with a granular layer.

epidermal nevus
any of various types of hamartoma of the epidermis representing developmental anomalies that produce faulty mature or nearly mature cutaneous structures; many patients with these lesions have involvement of other organ systems.

epidermal nevus syndrome
any of several syndromes that combine epidermal nevi with involvement of other body systems, such as CHILD syndrome, Proteus syndrome, and sebaceous nevus syndrome.

epidermis
(ep″ĭ-dur´mis) pl. epider´mides the outermost and nonvascular layer of the skin, derived from the embryonic ectoderm, varying in thickness from 0.07 to 1.4 mm. On the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, from within outward there are five layers or strata: the stratum basale (basal layer), stratum spinosu...

epidermitis
(ep″ĭ-dәr-mi´tis) inflammation of the epidermis.

epidermodysplasia
(ep″ĭ-dur″mo-dis-pla´zhә) faulty development of the epidermis. epidermodysplasia verruciformis a rare, autosomal recessive condition consisting of widespread and persistent dissemination, sometimes for decades, of verruca plana, caused by infection with human papill...

epidermoid
(ep″ĭ-dur´moid) resembling the epidermis. epidermoid cyst (def. 1).

epidermoid carcinoma
squamous cell carcinoma (def. 2).

epidermoid cyst
a benign tumor in the skull, meninges, or brain, formed by inclusion of epidermal elements, especially at the time of closure of the neural groove. It may grow gradually because of accumulations of desquamated debris and may become calcified. Called also epidermoid and epidermoidoma. epidermal cyst. ...

epidermoid tumor
epidermoid cyst (def. 2).

epidermoidoma
(ep″ĭ-dur″moi-do´mә) epidermoid cyst (def. 1).

epidermolysin
(ep″ĭ-dәr-mol´ә-sin) exfoliatin.

epidermolysis
(ep″ĭ-dәr-mol´ә-sis) loosening of the epidermis.

epidermolysis bullosa
(ep″ĭ-dәr-mol´ә-sis bәlo´sә) a large group of skin disorders characterized by fragile skin and development of bullae and vesicles at the site of trauma that can sometimes be only minor jarring. Types are distinguished as either acquired or hereditary. acquired epid...

epidermolytic hyperkeratosis
a hereditary autosomal dominant form of ichthyosis, present at birth. Characteristics include generalized redness of the skin and severe hyperkeratosis with small, hard wartlike scales over the entire body, accentuated in areas that flex or bend and sometimes involving the palms and soles. In infancy and childhood, there ...

Epidermophyton
(ep″ĭ-dәr-mof´ĭ-ton) a genus of fungi. E. flocco´sum attacks both skin and nails but not hair, and is one of the causative organisms of tinea cruris, tinea pedis, and onychomycosis.

epidermophytosis
(ep″ĭ-dur″mo-fi-to´sis) a fungal skin infection due to Epidermophyton. dermatophytosis.

epididymectomy
(ep″ĭ-did″ә-mek´tә-me) excision of the epididymis.

epididymis
(ep″ĭ-did´ә-mis) pl. epididy´mides an elongated, cordlike structure along the posterior border of the testis; its coiled duct provides for the storage, transport, and maturation of spermatozoa. adj., epidi´dymal., adj.

epididymitis
(ep″ĭ-did″ә-mi´tis) inflammation of the epididymis. Nonspecific epididymitis may result from an infection in the urinary tract, especially in the prostate. Rarely it may be traced to an infection elsewhere in the body. Tuberculosis, mumps, and gonorrhea may be complicated by epididymitis. Sy...

epididymo-orchitis
(ep″ĭ-did″ә-mo-or-ki´tis) inflammation of an epididymis and testis; called also orchiepididymitis.

epididymotomy
(ep″ĭ-did″ә-mot´ә-me) incision of the epididymis.

epididymovasostomy
(ep″ĭ-did″ә-mo-vә-sos´tә-me) surgical anastomosis of the epididymis to the ductus deferens.

epidural
(ep″ĭ-doo´rәl) situated upon or outside the dura mater.

epidural analgesia
analgesia induced by introduction of the analgesic agent into the epidural space of the vertebral canal.

epidural anesthesia
epidural block regional anesthesia produced by injection of the anesthetic agent into the epidural space. It may be performed by injection of the agent between the vertebral spines in the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar regions. An old method was caudal anesthesia, which involved injecting the agent into the sacral hiatus. ...

epidural hematoma
a hematoma between the dura mater and the skull, usually caused by a heavy blow to the head that damages the upper surface of the dura mater; blood seeps into the surrounding tissue to form a hematoma that is tumorlike and presses inward against the brain. This type of hematoma is the result of rupture of a relatively lar...

epidural space
the space between the dura mater and the lining of the spinal canal.

epidurography
(ep″ĭ-doo-rog´rә-fe) radiography of the spine after a radiopaque medium has been injected into the epidural space.

epiestriol
(ep″e-es´tre-ol) an estrogenic steroid found in pregnant women.

epigastralgia
(ep″ĭ-gәs-tral´jә) pain in the epigastrium.

epigastric
(ep″ĭ-gas´trik) pertaining to the epigastrium (epigastric region).

epigastric fossa
one in the epigastric region. urachal fossa.

epigastric hernia
an abdominal hernia through the linea alba above the navel.

epigastric incision
see illustration.

epigastric reflex
contraction of the abdominal muscles caused by stimulating the skin of the epigastrium or over the fifth and sixth intercostal spaces near the axilla.

epigastric region
the abdominal region that is superior and central in location, above the umbilical region and between the two hypochondriac regions.

epigastrium
(ep″ĭ-gas´tre-әm) epigastric region.

epigenesis
(ep″ĭ-jen´ә-sis) the development of an organism from an undifferentiated cell, consisting in the successive formation and development of organs and parts that do not preexist in the zygote.

epigenetic
(ep″ĭ-jә-net´ik) pertaining to epigenesis. altering the activity of genes without changing their DNA sequence.

epigenetics
(ep″ĭ-jә-net´iks) the study of heritable changes in the function of genes that occur without changes in the DNA sequence, occurring during development and cell proliferation and including mechanisms such as DNA methylation.

epiglottic cartilage
the plate of cartilage that constitutes the central part of the epiglottis.