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

fertility awareness methods
natural family planning.

fertility rate
a measure of fertility in a defined population over a specified period of time, usually one year; particularly the general fertility rate, but also including more specific rates such as those for females of a given parity or a particular age range or that describing the completed rate for females who have finished childbearing.

fertilization
(fur´tĭ-lĭ-za´shәn) in human reproduction, the process by which the male's sperm unites with the female's oocyte, creating a new life. The sex and other biologic traits of the new individual are determined by the combined genes and chromosomes that exist in the sperm and oocyte. See also conception and r...

fervescence
(fәr-ves´әns) increase of fever or body temperature.

FES
functional electrical stimulation.

fester
(fes´tәr) to suppurate superficially.

festinant
(fes´tĭ-nәnt) accelerating.

festinating gait
one in which the patient involuntarily moves with short, accelerating steps, often on tiptoe, with the trunk flexed forward and the legs flexed stiffly at the hips and knees. It is seen in Parkinson disease and other neurologic conditions that affect the basal ganglia. Called also festination.

festination
(fes″tĭ-na´shәn) festinating gait.

festoon
(fes-tldbomacn´) a carving in the base material of a denture that simulates the contours of the natural tissues it is replacing.

fetal acoustic stimulation test
a test used to assess fetal health in compromised pregnancies; a vibroacoustic stimulus such as an electronic artificial larynx is applied either externally or directly to the fetus and resultant fetal movements, cardioacceleration, and alterations in respiration are compared to those of normal fetuses.

fetal adenoma
microfollicular adenoma.

fetal alcohol syndrome
a group of symptoms characterized by mental and physical abnormalities of the infant and linked to maternal intake of alcohol during pregnancy. Clinical manifestations, which can be present in varying degrees, include prenatal and postnatal growth deficiency, mental retardation, irritability in infancy, hyperactivity in childhood, mi...

fetal bradycardia
a fetal heart rate of less than 120 beats per minute, generally associated with hypoxia and usually caused by placental insufficiency. It may also result from transfer of local anesthetics or beta-adrenergic blocking agents, or occasionally from heart block associated with congenital heart disease in the fetus or collagen vascular di...

fetal circulation
the circulation of blood from the placenta to and through the fetus and back to the placenta. Schematic diagram of fetal circulation, with red indicating the highest level of oxygen saturation, blue the lowest, and purple an intermediate level.

fetal death rate
fetal mortality rate the ratio of the number of fetal deaths in one year to the total number of both live births and fetal deaths in that year.

fetal face syndrome
Robinow syndrome.

fetal hydantoin syndrome
a symptom complex characterized by poor growth and development with craniofacial and skeletal abnormalities, produced by prenatal exposure to hydantoin analogues, including phenytoin.

fetal hypoxia
hypoxia in a fetus in the womb, caused by conditions such as inadequate placental function (often abruptio placentae), preeclamptic toxicity, prolapse of the umbilical cord, or complications from anesthetic administration.

fetal membranes
extraembryonic membranes.

fetal monitoring
continuous assessment of the fetal heart rate and uterine contractions during labor and childbirth in order to reduce preventable fetal or neonatal death through accurate diagnosis and correction of problems related to fetal distress, such as compression of the umbilical cord or placental insufficiency.

fetal zone of adrenal cortex
the inner zone of the primordial adrenal cortex and that of the fetus and newborn, which begins to involute shortly after birth; see also definitive zone of adrenal cortex. Called also fetal adrenal cortex and provisional cortex.

fetalization
(fe″tәl-ĭ-za´shәn) retention in the adult of structures or other characteristics that at an earlier stage of evolution were only infantile and were lost as the organism matured.

fetation
(fe-ta´shәn) development of the fetus. pregnancy.

feticide
(fe´tĭ-sīd) destruction of the fetus.

fetid
(fĕ´tid) (fe´tid) having a rank, disagreeable smell.

fetish
(fet´ish) (fe´tish) a material object, such as an idol, charm, or talisman, believed by primitive people to have supernatural powers. an inanimate object used to obtain sexual gratification.

fetishism
(fet´ish-iz-әm) the worship of fetishes. use of fetishes as a preferred or necessary adjunct to sexual arousal.

fetography
(fe-tog´rә-fe) radiography of the fetus in utero.

fetology
(fe-tol´ә-je) the branch of medicine dealing with the fetus in utero.

fetomaternal transfusion
transplacental passage of fetal blood into the circulation of the mother; in small amounts it may go unnoticed, but in larger amounts it can cause anemia or edema in the fetus.

fetometry
(fe-tom´ә-tre) measurement of the fetus, especially of its head.

fetopathy
(fe-top´ә-the) a disease or disorder seen in a fetus; see also embryopathy.

fetoplacental
(fe″to-plә-sen´tәl) pertaining to the fetus and placenta.

fetor
(fe´tor) stench or offensive odor. fetor hepa´ticus the peculiar odor of the breath characteristic of hepatic disease. fetor oris halitosis.

fetoscope
(fe´to-skōp) a specially designed stethoscope for listening to the fetal heart beat. an endoscope for viewing the fetus in utero.

fetoscopy
(fe-tos´kә-pe) viewing of the fetus in utero by means of the fetoscope; this is now only rarely done, having been replaced by percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (cordocentesis). adj., fetoscop´ic., adj.

fetotoxicity
(fe″to-tok-sis´ĭ-te) fetal toxicity. adj., fetotox´ic., adj.

fetus
(fe´tәs) the developing young in the uterus, specifically the unborn offspring in the postembryonic period, which in humans is from the third month after fertilization until birth. See also embryo. adj., fe´tal., adj.

fetus in fetu
(fe´tәs in fe´too) a small, imperfect fetus, incapable of independent life, contained within the body of another fetus.

fetus papyraceus
(fe´tәs pap″ĭra´she-әs) a dead fetus flattened by being pressed against the uterine wall by a living twin.

Feuerstein-Mims syndrome
(foi´әr-stīn mimz´) sebaceous nevus syndrome.

FEV
forced expiratory volume.

fever
(fe´vәr) an abnormally high body temperature; called also pyrexia. adj., fe´verish, fe´brile., adj. any disease characterized by marked increase of body temperature. See also heat exhaustion and heat stroke. For specific diseases, see the eponymic or descriptive name, such as Rocky Mountain spotte...

fever of unknown origin
(FUO) a febrile illness of at least three weeks' duration (some authorities permit a shorter duration), with a temperature of at least 38.3°C on at least three occasions and failure to establish a diagnosis in spite of intensive inpatient or outpatient evaluation (three outpatient visits or three days' hospi...

fever therapy
pyretotherapy.

feverfew
(fe´vәr-fu″) the dried leaves of the herb Tanacetum parthenium, used for migraine, arthritis, rheumatic diseases, and allergy.

Fèvre-Languepin syndrome
(fev´rә lahn-gә-pă´) popliteal webbing associated with cleft lip and palate, fistula of the lower lip, syndactyly, onychodysplasia, and pes equinovarus. Called also popliteal pterygium syndrome.

fexofenadine
(fek″so-fen´ә-dēn) an H1-receptor antagonist used as an antihistamine in the treatment of hay fever and of chronic idiopathic urticaria; administered orally as the hydrochloride salt.

FG syndrome
an X-linked recessive syndrome of mental retardation, megalencephaly, imperforate anus and other gastrointestinal defects, delayed motor development, congenital hypotonia, characteristic facies and personality, short stature, skeletal anomalies, and congenital cardiac defects.

fiber
(fi´bәr) an elongated threadlike structure. dietary fiber. nerve fiber.

fiber cell
any elongated and linear cell.

fiber-illuminated
(fi´bәr-ĭ-loo´mĭ-nāt″әd) transmitting light by means of bundles of glass or plastic fibers, utilizing a lens system to transmit the image; said of endoscopes of such design.

fibercolonoscope
(fi″bәr-ko-lon´o-skōp) fiberoptic colonoscope.

fibergastroscope
(fi″bәr-gas´tro-skōp) fiberoptic gastroscope.

fiberglass dermatitis
irritant contact dermatitis from exposure to fiberglass.

fiberoptic
(fi″bәr-op´tik) pertaining to fiberoptics; coated with flexible glass or plastic fibers having special optical properties and orientation.

fiberoptics
(fi″bәr-op´tiks) the transmission of an image along flexible bundles of glass or plastic fibers each of which carries an element of the image.

fiberscope
(fi´bәr-skōp) a flexible endoscope whose lumen is coated with fiberoptic glass or plastic fibers that have the optical property of transmitting images.

fibra
(fi´brә) pl. fi´brae Latin word meaning fiber; a term used in anatomy.

fibrates
(fi´brāts) a general term for fibric acid derivatives, such as gemfibrozil.

fibric acid
(fi´brik) any of a group of compounds structurally related to clofibrate used to reduce plasma levels of triglycerides and cholesterol.

fibril
(fi´bril) a minute filament, such as a component of a fiber. adj., fi´brillar, fi´brillary, adj. . collagen fibrils delicate fibrils of collagen in connective tissue, composed of molecules of tropocollagen in linear array. In Type I collagen, the most common type, the tropocollage...

fibrillar protein
fibrous protein one that is insoluble in water or dilute salt solution, having extensive secondary structure, such as α-helix or β-pleated sheet structure; included are the principal structural proteins of the body, such as collagens, elastins, keratins, actin, and myosin. Cf. globular protein.

fibrillary waves
f waves (def. 1).

fibrillation
(fib″rĭ-la´shәn) a small, local, involuntary, muscular contraction, due to spontaneous activation of single muscle cells or muscle fibers. the quality of being made up of fibrils. the initial degenerative changes in osteoarthritis, marked by softening of the articular cartilage and...

fibrillation threshold
the least intensity of an electrical impulse that will cause cardiac tissue to begin fibrillation.

fibrillogenesis
(fi-bril″o-jen´ә-sis) the formation and development of fibrils.

fibrin
(fi´brin) an insoluble protein that is essential to clotting of blood, formed from fibrinogen by action of thrombin.

fibrin bodies of pleura
movable or adherent, round, homogeneous, sharply demarcated opacities near the base of the pleural cavity, which may occur secondary to pleural effusion, pneumothorax, or hemopneumothorax; called also pleural fibrin balls.

fibrin-stabilizing factor
(FSF) factor XIII.

fibrinase
(fi´brin-ās) factor XIII.

fibrinocellular
(fi″brĭ-no-sel´u-lәr) made up of fibrin and cells.

fibrinogen
(fi-brin´o-jәn) factor I. fibrinogen degradation products fragments of fibrinogen or fibrin degraded by plasmin, which are found in the serum and urine of patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation and in the urine of those who have had kidney transplants.

fibrinogenemia
(fi-brin″o-jә-ne´me-ә) hyperfibrinogenemia.

fibrinogenolysis
(fi″brĭ-no-jә-nol´ә-sis) the proteolytic destruction of fibrinogen in the circulating blood. adj., fibrinogenolyt´ic., adj.

fibrinogenopenia
(fi-brin″o-jen″o-pe´ne-ә) hypofibrinogenemia.

fibrinoid
(fi´brin-oid) resembling fibrin. a homogeneous, eosinophilic, relatively acellular refractile substance with some of the staining properties of fibrin.

fibrinolysin
(fi″brĭ-nol´ә-sin) plasmin. a preparation of proteolytic enzyme formed from profibrinolysin (plasminogen) by action of physical agents or by specific bacterial kinases; used to promote dissolution of thrombi.

fibrinolysis
(fi″brĭ-nol´ә-sis) the dissolution of fibrin by enzymatic action. adj. fibrinolyt´ic, adj. .

fibrinolytic hemorrhage
that due to abnormalities of fibrinolysis and not hypofibrinogenemia.

fibrinolytic purpura
purpura associated with increased breakdown of fibrin in the blood.

fibrinolytic therapy
the use of agents that break down fibrin to dissolve blood clots in patients with deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and acute myocardial infarction. Called also thrombolytic therapy.

fibrinopeptide
(fi″brĭ-no-pep´tīd) either of two peptides (A and B) split off from fibrinogen during blood clotting by the action of thrombin.

fibrinoscopy
(fi-brĭ-nos´kә-pe) inoscopy.

fibrinous
(fi´brin-әs) pertaining to or of the nature of fibrin.

fibrinous degeneration
necrosis with deposit of fibrin within the cells of the tissue.

fibrinous inflammation
one marked by an exudate of coagulated fibrin.

fibrinous pericarditis
fibrous pericarditis pericarditis characterized by a fibrinous exudate, sometimes accompanied by a small amount of serous effusion; it is usually manifest as a pericardial friction rub. It often progresses to adhesive pericarditis. See also serofibrinous pericarditis.

fibrinous pleurisy
pleurisy in which exudate forms fibrinous adhesions between the visceral and parietal pleurae, which partially or totally obliterate the pleural space. Called also adhesive p. and fibrinous or fibrosing pleuritis.

fibrinous pleuritis
fibrosing pleuritis fibrinous pleurisy.

fibrinous rhinitis
membranous rhinitis.

fibrinuria
(fi″brĭ-nu´re-ә) discharge of fibrin in the urine.

fibroadenoma
(fi″bro-ad″ә-no´mә) adenoma containing fibrous elements. giant fibroadenoma of breast phyllodes tumor.

fibroadipose
(fi″bro-ad´ĭ-pōs) both fibrous and fatty.

fibroangioma
(fi″bro-an″je-o´mә) an angioma containing much fibrous tissue.

fibroareolar
(fi″bro-ә-re´o-lәr) both fibrous and areolar.

fibroblast
(fi´bro-blast) an immature fiber-producing cell of connective tissue capable of differentiating into a chondroblast, collagenoblast, or osteoblast. Called also fibrocyte. adj., fibroblas´tic, adj. .

fibroblastoma
(fi″bro-blas-to´mә) any tumor arising from fibroblasts, now classified as either fibromas or fibrosarcomas.

fibrocalcific
(fi″bro-kal-sif´ik) pertaining to or characterized by partially calcified fibrous tissue.