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

levator anguli oris muscle
origin, canine fossa of maxilla; insertion, orbicularis oris muscle and skin at corner of mouth; innervation, facial nerve; action, raises corner of mouth.

levator ani muscle
a name applied collectively to important muscular components of the pelvic diaphragm, including the pubococcygeus, puborectalis, and iliococcygeus muscles.

levator glandulae thyroideae muscle
levator muscle of thyroid gland: a muscle originating on the isthmus or pyramid of the thyroid gland and inserting on the body of the hyoid bone. It is not always present.

levator hernia
perineal hernia.

levator labii superioris muscle
levator muscle of upper lip: origin, lower orbital margin; insertion, muscle of upper lip; innervation, facial nerve; action, raises upper lip.

levator palpebrae superioris muscle
levator muscle of upper eyelid: origin, sphenoid bone above optic canal; insertion, tarsal plate and skin of upper eyelid; innervation, oculomotor nerve; action, raises upper eyelid.

levator prostatae muscle
puboprostaticus muscle.

levator scapulae muscle
levator muscle of scapula: origin, transverse processes of four upper cervical vertebrae; insertion, medial border of scapula; innervation, third and fourth cervical nerves; action, raises scapula.

levator syndrome
episodic severe pain and a sensation of fullness and pressure in the rectum and sacrococcygeal area, often awakening the individual at night; it is attributed to spasm of the levator ani and coccygeal muscles. Called also proctalgia fugax.

levator veli palatini muscle
origin, apex of petrous portion of temporal bone and cartilaginous part of auditory tube; insertion, aponeurosis of soft palate; innervation, pharyngeal plexus of vagus nerve; action, raises and pulls back soft palate.

levatores costarum breves muscles
short levator muscles of ribs: the levatores costarum muscles of each side that insert medial to the angle of the rib that is the next one below the vertebra of origin.

levatores costarum longi muscles
long levator muscles of ribs: the lower levatores costarum muscles of each side, which have small bundles of fibers extending down to the second rib below the vertebra of origin.

levatores costarum muscles
levator muscles of ribs (12 on each side): originating from the transverse processes of the seventh cervical and first to eleventh thoracic vertebrae and inserting medial to the angle of a lower rib; innervated by intercostal nerves and helping raise the ribs in respiration.

LeVeen shunt
peritoneovenous shunt.

level
(lev´әl) relative position, rank, or concentration.

level of significance
a statistical measure that serves as the cutoff point used to determine whether a null hypothesis is retained or rejected; the probability of incorrectly rejecting the null hypothesis (see Type I error).

levels of care
the six divisions of a health care system: preventive care, primary care, secondary or acute care, tertiary care, restorative care, and continuing care.

levels of consciousness
see levels of consciousness.

levetiracetam
(le″vә-ti-ras´ә-tam) an anticonvulsant administered orally as an adjunct in the treatment of some forms of epilepsy.

levigation
(lev″ĭ-ga´shәn) the grinding to a powder of a moist or hard substance.

Levin tube
a type of nasogastric tube used for decompression of the stomach.

levobetaxolol
(le″vo-ba-tak´sә-lol) a cardioselective beta-adrenergic blocking agent, used in the form of the hydrochloride salt; administered topically to the conjunctiva in treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

levobunolol
(le″vo-bu´no-lol) a beta-adrenergic blocking agent used in treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension; applied topically to the conjunctiva as the hydrochloride salt.

levobupivacaine
(le″vo-bu-piv´ә-kān) a local anesthetic used as the hydrochloride salt for local infiltration anesthesia, peripheral nerve block, and epidural anesthesia during surgical procedures and for postoperative pain management.

levocabastine
(le″vo-kab´ә-stēn) an antihistamine applied topically to the conjunctiva as the hydrochloride salt to treat seasonal allergic conjunctivitis.

levocardia
(le″vo-kahr´de-ә) a term denoting normal position of the heart associated with transposition of other viscera (situs inversus).

levocarnitine
(le″vo-kahr´nĭ-tēn) a preparation of the biologically active L-isomer of carnitine, used to treat carnitine deficiency, either primary or secondary to an inborn error of metabolism, and to prevent and treat carnitine deficiency associated with hemodialysis in end-stage renal disease; administered orally.

levoclination
(le″vo-klĭ-na´shәn) rotation of the upper poles of the vertical meridians of the two eyes to the left; called also sinistrotorsion.

levodopa
(le″vo-do´pә) l-dopa, the levorotatory isomer of dopa; used in treatment of Parkinson disease and other forms of parkinsonism, administered orally.

levoduction
(le″vo-duk´shәn) movement of an eye to the left.

levofloxacin
(le″vo-flok´sә-sin) a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent, administered orally, intravenously, or topically to the conjunctiva.

levonorgestrel
(le´vo-nor-jes´trel) the levorotatory form of norgestrel; used in contraception, either in combination with an estrogen component as an oral contraceptive or alone as a subdermal contraceptive implant (see Norplant). It is also used alone as an oral emergency postcoital contraceptive, popularly called a “morning-after p...

levorotary
(le″vo-ro´tә-re) levorotatory.

levorotation
(le″vo-ro-ta´shәn) a turning to the left.

levorotatory
(le″vo-ro´tә-tor″e) turning the plane of polarized light to the left (counterclockwise).

levorphanol
(lēv-or´fә-nol) a potent synthetic opioid analgesic with properties and actions similar to those of morphine; used as the bitartrate salt as an analgesic and an anesthesia adjunct, administered orally, subcutaneously, intramuscularly, or intravenously.

levothyroxine
(le″vo-thi-rok´sēn) l-thyroxine, obtained from the thyroid gland of domesticated food animals or prepared synthetically; used for replacement therapy in hypothyroidism and for the prophylaxis and treatment of goiter and of thyroid cancer; administered orally, intravenously, or intramuscularly as the sodium salt.

levoversion
(le″vo-vur´zhәn) a turning toward the left.

levulose
(lev´u-lōs) fructose.

Levy-Hollister syndrome
(le´ve hol´is-tәr) lacrimo-auriculo-dento-digital syndrome.

Lévy-Roussy syndrome
(la-ve´ roo-se´) Roussy-Lévy syndrome.

Lewandowsky-Lutz disease
(lev-ahn-dov´ske loots´) epidermodysplasia verruciformis.

Lewis and Pickering test
(for peripheral circulation) vasodilation of a part is produced by warming it and applying a sphygmomanometer cuff; return of blood to the part is assessed when the cuff is released.

Lewy bodies
laminated, round bodies found in vacuoles in the cytoplasm of some neurons of the midbrain in Parkinson disease.

Leyden-Möbius muscular dystrophy
limb-girdle muscular dystrophy.

Leyden-Möbius syndrome
(li´dәn mur´be-әs) limb-girdle muscular dystrophy.

Leydig cell tumor
a usually benign, nongerminal tumor of the Leydig cells of the testis. hilar cell tumor.

Leydig cells
interstitial cells of the testis, which secrete testosterone.

LFA
left frontoanterior (position/presentation of the fetus). See presentation.

LFP
left frontoposterior (position/presentation of the fetus). See presentation.

LFT
left frontotransverse (position/presentation of the fetus). See presentation.

LH
luteinizing hormone.

LH-RH
luteinizing hormone releasing hormone.

Lhermitte sign
(lār-mēt´) a sensation like an electric shock coursing down the spine when the neck is flexed; a fairly common sign in multiple sclerosis.

Li
lithium.

Li-Fraumeni syndrome
(le´ frou- me´ne) an autosomal dominant cancer syndrome with early onset of tumors, multiple tumors in individuals, and multiple affected family members; the most common tumors include soft tissue sarcomas and osteosarcomas, breast cancer, brain tumors, leukemia, and adrenocortical carcinoma. Most cases are caused...

Liacopoulos phenomenon
nonspecific immunosuppression to an antigen induced by administration of large doses of an unrelated antigen.

libido
(lĭ-be´do) (lĭ-bi´do) sexual desire. the psychic energy derived from instinctive biological drives; in early freudian theory it was restricted to the sexual drive, then expanded to include all expressions of love and pleasure, but the concept has evolved to include also the death...

Libman-Sacks disease
(lib´man saks´) atypical verrucous endocarditis.

Libman-Sacks endocarditis
atypical verrucous endocarditis.

Librax
(lib´raks) trademark for a combination preparation of chlordiazepoxide hydrochloride and clidinium bromide, used as an antispasmodic in treatment of gastrointestinal disorders.

Librium
(lib´re-әm) trademark for preparations of chlordiazepoxide hydrochloride, an antianxiety agent.

lice
(līs) plural of louse.

licensed practical nurse
licensed vocational nurse a graduate of a school of practical nursing who has been legally authorized to practice, usually under the supervision of a registered nurse, performing duties not requiring the skill, judgment, and knowledge of a registered nurse.

lichen
(li´kәn) any of certain plants formed by the mutualistic combination of an alga and a fungus. any of various papular skin diseases in which the lesions are typically small, firm papules set close together.

lichen amyloidosis
the most common form of cutaneous amyloidosis, characterized by translucent, itchy papules symmetrically distributed on the shins, thighs, and occasionally elsewhere. Called also lichen amyloidosus.

lichen amyloidosus
(li´kәn amĭ-loi-do´sәs) lichen amyloidosis.

lichen myxedematosus
(li´kәn mik″sә-de″mә-to´sәs) a condition resembling myxedema but unassociated with hypothyroidism, marked by mucinosis and a widespread eruption of asymptomatic, soft, pale red or yellowish, discrete papules.

lichen nitidus
(li´kәn nit´ĭ-dәs) a usually asymptomatic chronic inflammatory eruption consisting of numerous glistening, flat-topped, discrete, smooth, commonly skin-colored micropapules, located most often on the penis, lower abdomen, inner thighs, flexor aspects of the wrists and forearms, breasts, and buttoc...

lichen pilaris
(li´kәn pi-lar´is) lichen spinulosus.

lichen planopilaris
a variant of lichen planus characterized by cone-shaped, horny papules around hair follicles, as well as typical lesions of lichen planus.

lichen planus
(li´kәn pla´nәs) lichen ruber planus (li´kәn roo´bәr pla´nәs) an inflammatory skin disease characterized by wide, flat, purplish, shiny papules in circumscribed patches and pale or white streaks on the skin or mucous membranes. There are many different types, named either fo...

lichen sclerosus
(li´kәn sklә-ro´sus) lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (li´kәn sklә-ro´sus et a-trof´ĭ-kәs) a chronic atrophic skin disease marked by white papules with an erythematous halo and keratotic plugging. It sometimes affects the vulva (kraurosis vulvae) or penis (balanitis xerot...

lichen scrofulosorum
(li´kәn skrof″u-lo-sor´әm) lichen scrofulosus (li´kәn skrof″u-lo´sәs) a form of tuberculid manifested as an eruption of clusters of lichenoid papules on the trunk of children and young adults with tuberculous disease.

lichen simplex chronicus
(li´kәn sim´pleks kron´ĭ-kәs) a dermatosis caused by excessive scratching or rubbing of itches, marked by discrete or confluent papular eruptions, usually in a localized area.

lichen spinulosus
(li´kәn spi″nu-lo´sәs) a condition in which there is a horn or spine in the center of each hair follicle; called also lichen pilaris.

lichen striatus
(li´kәn stri-a´tәs) a self-limited condition characterized by a linear lichenoid eruption, usually in children.

lichenification
(li-ken″ĭ-fĭ-ka´shәn) thickening and hardening of the skin, with exaggeration of its normal markings, owing to its being scratched or rubbed excessively.

lichenoid
(li´kәn-oid) resembling lichen.

lichenoid pityriasis
a rare, self-limited type characterized by discolored papular lesions; it encompasses a spectrum from acute lichenoid pityriasis to chronic lichenoid pityriasis.

Lichtheim disease
(likt´hīm) Lichtheim syndrome (likt´hīm) subacute combined degeneration of spinal cord.

Lichtheim sign
in some types of motor aphasia the patient cannot speak but can indicate with fingers the number of syllables in a word being thought of. Called also Dejerine-Lichtheim phenomenon.

Lichtheim test
(for aphasia) if a patient is able to indicate the number of syllables in a word he or she cannot utter, it indicates that the cortex is less involved than the association fibers.

licorice
(lik´ә-ris) glycyrrhiza; the dried rhizome, roots, and stolons of various species of the perennial herb Glycyrrhiza glabra, used as a flavoring agent for various substances including drugs, tobacco, and candy. It has mineralocorticoid effects and can cause sodium and water retention and hypokalemia.

lid reflex
corneal reflex (def. 1).

Liddell and Sherrington reflex
stretch reflex.

Liddle syndrome
(lid´әl) a rare autosomal dominant syndrome resulting from epithelial sodium channel mutations that lead to abnormally increased channel function, characterized by hypertension with excessive renal reabsorption of sodium, depletion of potassium, and low activity of renin and aldosterone. Cf. pseudoprimary al...

Lidex
(li´deks) trademark for preparations of fluocinonide, a synthetic glucocorticoid used to treat dermatoses.

lidocaine
(li´do-kān) an anesthetic with sedative, analgesic, and cardiac depressant properties, applied topically in the form of the base or hydrochloride salt as a local anesthetic; also used in the latter form to treat cardiac arrhythmias and to produce infiltration anesthesia and various nerve blocks.

lie
(li) the relationship of the long axis of the fetus to that of the mother; see also presentation. longitudinal lie a situation in which the long axis of the fetus is parallel to that of the mother; during labor there may be either a vertex presentation or a breech presentation. ...

Liebermann-Burchard test
(le´bәr-mәn bur´chәrd) (for cholesterol) dissolve the sample in chloroform and add acetic anhydride plus concentrated sulfuric acid; cholesterol can be quantitated by the intensity of the resulting blue-green color.

Liebig test
(for cystine) boil the suspected substance with a sodium hydroxide solution and a little lead sulfide; if cystine is present, the lead sulfide will form a black precipitate.

lien
(li´әn) Latin word meaning spleen; a term used in anatomy. adj., lie´nal., adj.

lienomyelogenous
(li-e″no-mi″ә-loj´ә-nәs) splenomedullary (def. 2).

lientery
(li´әn-ter″e) diarrhea with passage of undigested food. adj., lienter´ic., adj.

Liesegang phenomenon
the peculiar periodic formation of a precipitate in concentric banded rings, waves, or spirals when two electrolytes diffuse into and meet in a colloid gel.

life support
any device or technique used to maintain life functions or necessities for maintaining life, such as when a patient's bodily functions have ceased to function or when a person is in an extreme environment such as a space shuttle. advanced life support(ALS) a level of emerg...

life table
any of various tables describing mortality and survival data for groups of individuals at specific times or over defined intervals; tables may summarize combined mortality experience by age over a brief period or may follow a cohort over time (cohort life table).

lifelong obesity
that beginning in childhood and characterized by an increase in both number and size of fat cells.

ligament
(lig´ә-mәnt) a band of fibrous tissue connecting bones or cartilages, serving to support and strengthen joints. See also sprain. a double layer of peritoneum extending from one visceral organ to another. cordlike remnants of fetal tubular structures that are nonfunctional after birth. a...