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

paramedic
(par″ah-med´ik) a person trained to manage the emergency care of sick or injured persons during transport to a hospital, including administration of injections and intravenous fluids, reading of electrocardiograms, and performance of defibrillation and other advanced life-support measures if ordered by a physician...

paramedical
(par″ә-med´i-kәl) connected with the science or practice of medicine; adjunctive to the practice of medicine in maintenance or restoration of health and normal functioning. See allied health.

paramesonephric duct
müllerian duct.

parameter
(pә-ram´ә-tәr) in a mathematical expression, a constant that distinguishes specific cases, having a definite fixed value in one case but different values in other cases. in statistics, a value that specifies one of the members of a family of probability distributions, such as the mean or ...

paramethasone
(par″ah-meth´ah-sōn) a glucocorticoid used as the 21-acetate ester for its antiinflammatory effects.

parametrial
(par″ә-me´tre-әl) parametric. pertaining to the parametrium.

parametric
(par″ә-me´trik) situated near the uterus; parametrial.

parametric
(par″ә-met´rik) pertaining to or defined in terms of a parameter.

parametric test
one using parametric statistics, i.e., one that depends upon assumptions about the distribution of the data.

parametritis
(par″ә-mә-tri´tis) inflammation of the parametrium.

parametrium
(par″ә-me´tre-әm) the extension of the subserous coat of the supracervical portion of the uterus laterally between the layers of the broad ligament.

paramnesia
(par″am-ne´zhә) a disturbance of memory in which reality and fantasy are confused.

paramyloidosis
(par-am″ә-loi-do´sis) accumulation of an atypical form of amyloid in tissues.

paramyoclonus
(par″ә-mi-ok´lә-nәs) a condition characterized by myoclonic contractions of various muscles. paramyoclonus multiplex a condition characterized by sudden shocklike contractions.

paramyotonia
(par″ә-mi″o-to´ne-ә) a disease marked by tonic spasms due to disorder of muscular tonicity, especially a hereditary and congenital affectation. paramyotonia congenita a condition similar to myotonia congenita, except that the precipitating factor is exposure to col...

Paramyxoviridae
(par″ә-mik″so-vir´ĭ-de) the paramyxoviruses, a family of RNA viruses that includes the viruses causing measles and mumps; genera that infect humans include Metapneumovirus, Morbillivirus, Paramyxovirus, and Pneumovirus.

Paramyxovirus
(par″ә-mik´so-vi″rәs) a genus of viruses of the family Paramyxoviridae that cause respiratory infections in various animals; included are mumps virus and parainfluenza virus.

paramyxovirus
(par″ә-mik´so-vi″rәs) any virus of the family Paramyxoviridae.

paranasal sinuses
eight small cavities in the skull that are connected with the nasal cavity; they are arranged in four pairs, with one of each type on the left and one on the right. The pairs are the maxillary sinuses in the maxillae; the frontal sinuses in the frontal bone; the sphenoid sinuses in the sphenoid bone behind the nasal cavity; and the e...

paraneoplastic syndrome
(par″ah-ne″o-plas´tik) a collective term for disorders arising from metabolic effects of cancer on tissues remote from the tumor; such disorders may, for example, appear as primary endocrine, hematologic, or neuromuscular disorders.

paranephric
(par″ә-nef´rik) near the kidney.

paranephritis
(par″ә-nә-fri´tis) inflammation of the adrenal gland. inflammation of the connective tissue around the kidney.

paranesthesia
(par″an-es-the´zhә) para-anesthesia.

paraneural
(par″ә-noor´әl) alongside a nerve.

paraneural anesthesia
perineural block.

paraneural block
perineural block.

paranoia
(par″ә-noi´ah) in current usage, a descriptive term limited to the characterization of behavior that is marked by well-systematized delusions of persecution, delusions of grandeur, or a combination of the two. adj., paranoi´ac, par´anoid., adj. There are several disorders in which paranoia may occur...

paranoid
(par´ә-noid) resembling paranoia. a person suffering from paranoia; called also paranoiac.

paranoid delusions
an older term for delusion of grandeur and delusion of persecution; its use is discouraged.

paranoid disorder
older term for delusional disorder.

paranoid personality disorder
a personality disorder in which the patient views other people as hostile, devious, and untrustworthy and reacts in a combative manner to disappointments or to events that they consider rebuffs or humiliations. Notable features include questioning of the loyalty of friends, bearing of grudges, a tendency to read threateni...

paranoid schizophrenia
a type characterized by preoccupation with one or more systematized delusions or with auditory hallucinations, but without disorganized speech, disorganized or catatonic behavior, or flat or inappropriate affect.

paranomia
(par″ә-no´me-ә) amnestic aphasia.

paraparesis
(par″ә-pә-re´sis) a partial paralysis of the lower extremities.

paraperitoneal hernia
a vesical hernia in which only part of the protruded bladder is covered by the peritoneum of the sac.

parapertussis
(par″ә-pәr-tus´is) an acute respiratory disease clinically indistinguishable from mild or moderate pertussis, caused by Bordetella parapertussis.

parapharyngeal
(par″ә-fә-rin´je-әl) situated beside the pharynx.

paraphasia
(par″ә-fa´zhә) partial aphasia in which the patient uses wrong words, or uses words in wrong and senseless combinations. Called also paragrammatism, paraphemia, and paraphrasia.

paraphemia
(par″ә-fe´me-ә) paraphasia.

paraphia
(pә-ra´fe-ә) perversion of the sense of touch.

paraphilia
(par″ә-fil´e-ә) a sexual disorder characterized by recurrent intense sexual urges, sexually arousing fantasies, or behavior involving use of a nonhuman object, the suffering or humiliation of oneself or one's partner, or children or other nonconsenting partners. Paraphilias include transvestic fe...

paraphimosis
(par″ә-fi-mo´sis) retraction of a phimotic foreskin, causing swelling of the glans.

paraphrasia
(par″ә-fra´zhә) paraphasia.

paraplastic
(par″ә-plas´tik) exhibiting an abnormal formative power.

Paraplatin
(par″ә-plat´in) trademark for a preparation of carboplatin, an antineoplastic agent.

paraplectic
(par″ә-plek´tik) paraplegic.

paraplegia
(par″ә-ple´jә) impairment or loss of motor or sensory function in areas of the body served by the thoracic, lumbar, or sacralspinal nerves and their branches, because of damage to the lower parts of the spinal column. The lower limbs are the most affected, and may be paralyzed; the trunk and internal organs ...

paraplegiform
(par″ә-ple´jĭ-form) resembling paraplegia.

Parapoxvirus
(par″ә-poks´vi-rәs) a genus of viruses of the family Poxviridae, including paravaccinia virus.

parapraxia
(par″ә-prak´se-ә) parapraxis.

parapraxis
(par″ә-prak´sis) pl. paraprax´es a lapse of memory or mental error, such as a slip of the tongue or misplacement of an object, which, in psychoanalytic theory, is due to unconscious associations and motives; commonly called a “freudian slip.”

paraprofessional
(par″ә-pro-fesh´әn-әl) a person specially trained in a particular field or occupation to assist a professional such as a physician. pertaining to such a person or occupation.

paraprotein
(par″ә-pro´tēn) a normal or abnormal plasma protein appearing in large quantities as a result of some pathologic condition, now replaced in most contexts by the term m component.

paraproteinemia
(par″ә-pro″tēn-e´me-ә) plasma cell dyscrasias.

parapsoriasis
(par″ә-sә-ri´ә-sis) any of a group of slowly developing, persistent, maculopapular scaly erythrodermas, without subjective symptoms and resistant to treatment.

parapsychology
(par″ә-si-kol´ә-je) the branch of psychology dealing with psychic effects and experiences that appear to fall outside the scope of physical law, including phenomena such as telepathy and clairvoyance.

paraquat
(par´ә-kwaht) a poisonous compound some of whose salts are used as contact herbicides. Concentrated solutions cause skin irritation, cracking and shedding of nails, and delayed healing of cuts and wounds. A person who ingests a large amount may develop kidney and liver failure, followed by respiratory insufficienc...

paraquat poisoning
poisoning by paraquat that has been either ingested or absorbed through the skin. Contact with concentrated solutions causes irritation of the skin, cracking and shedding of the nails, and delayed healing of cuts and wounds. After ingestion of large doses, potentially fatal renal and hepatic failure may develop, followed ...

pararectus incision
see illustration.

parareflexia
(par″ә-re-flek´se-ә) any disorder of the reflexes.

pararhotacism
(par″ә-ro´tә-siz-әm) rhotacism.

pararosaniline
(par″ә-ro-zan´ĭ-lin) a basic dye that is one of the components of basic fuchsin.

pararrhythmia
(par″ә-rith´me-ә) parasystole.

parasaccular hernia
sliding hernia.

parasacral
(par″ә-sa´krәl) situated near the sacrum.

parasacral block
regional anesthesia by injection of a local anesthetic around the sacral nerves as they emerge from the sacral foramina.

parasigmatism
(par″ә-sig´mә-tiz-әm) sigmatism.

parasinoidal
(par″ә-si-noi´dәl) situated along the course of a sinus.

parasinoidal spaces
spaces in the dura mater along the superior sagittal sinus which receive the venous blood.

parasite
(par´ә-sīt) a plant or animal that lives upon or within another living organism at whose expense it obtains some advantage; see also symbiosis. Parasites include multicelled and single-celled animals, fungi, and bacteria, and some authorities also include viruses. Those that feed upon human hosts can cause di...

parasite rate
the percentage of persons in a particular age group or area that are found to be infected with parasites, such as malarial parasites.

parasitemia
(par″ә-si-te´me-ә) the presence of parasites, especially malarial forms, in the blood.

parasitic cyst
one forming around larval parasites (tapeworms, amebas, trichinae), such as a hydatid cyst.

parasitic fetus
in unequal twins, an incomplete fetus attached to a larger, more completely developed fetus, which is called the autosite.

parasiticide
(par″ә-sit´ĭ-sīd) antiparasitic (def. 2).

parasitism
(par″ә-si´tiz-әm) symbiosis in which one population (or individual) adversely affects another, but cannot live without it. infection or infestation with parasites.

parasitize
(par´ah-sĭ-tīz″) to live on or within a host as a parasite.

parasitogenic
(par″ә-si″to-jen´ik) due to parasites.

parasitologist
(par″ә-si-tol´ә-jist) a specialist in parasitology.

parasitology
(par″ә-si-tol´ә-je) the scientific study of parasites and parasitism.

parasitotropic
(par″ә-si″to-tro´pik) having affinity for parasites.

parasomnia
(par″ә-som´ne-ә) a category of primary sleep disorders in which abnormal events occur during sleep because of activation of physiological systems at inappropriate times. Included are nightmare disorder, sleep terror disorder, and sleepwalking disorder. See also dyssomnia.

paraspadias
(par″ә-spa´de-әs) a congenital condition in which the urethra opens on one side of the penis.

parasternal
(par″ә-stur´nәl) beside the sternum.

parasternal hernia
Bochdalek hernia.

parasuicide
(par″ә-soo´ĭ-sīd) attempted suicide, emphasizing that in most such attempts death is not the desired outcome.

parasympathetic ganglia
(par″ә-sim″pә-thet´ik) aggregations of cell bodies of cholinergic neurons of the parasympathetic nervous system; these ganglia are located near to or within the wall of the organs being innervated.

parasympathetic nerve
(par″ә-sim″pә-thet´ik) any of the nerves of the parasympathetic nervous system.

parasympathetic nervous system
part of the autonomic nervous system; its preganglionic fibers leave the central nervous system with cranial nerves III, VII, IX, and X and the first three sacral nerves, and its postganglionic fibers are distributed to the heart, smooth muscles, glands of the head and neck, and viscera in the trunk. A large majority of the par...

parasympatholytic
(par″ә-sim″pә-tho-lit´ik) producing effects resembling those of interruption of the parasympathetic nerve supply of a part; having a destructive effect on the parasympathetic nerve fibers or blocking the transmission of impulses by them. anticholinergic (def. 2).

parasympathomimetic
(par″ә-sim″pә-tho-mĭ-met´ik) producing effects resembling those of stimulation of the parasympathetic nerve supply of a part. cholinergic (def. 2).

parasynovitis
(par″ә-sin″o-vi´tis) inflammation of the tissues about a synovial sac.

parasystole
(par″ә-sis´tә-le) a cardiac arrhythmia attributed to the interaction of two foci independently initiating cardiac impulses at different rates; it cannot be discharged by impulses of the dominant rhythm but it may be modulated by electrotonic influences. The two independent rhythms coexist but not...

paratenic host
a potential or substitute intermediate host that serves until the appropriate definitive host is reached, and in which no development of the parasite occurs; it may or may not be necessary for the completion of the parasite's life cycle.

paratenon
(par″ә-ten´on) the fatty areolar tissue filling the interstices of the fascial compartment in which a tendon is situated.

paraterminal gyrus
a thin sheet of gray matter in front of and ventral to the genu of the corpus callosum.

parathion
(par″ә-thi´on) an organophosphate agricultural insecticide, highly toxic to humans and other animals and the cause of many accidental poisonings.

parathormone
(par″ә-thor´mōn) parathyroid hormone.

parathymia
(par″ә-thi´me-ә) an abnormal, contrary, or inappropriate mood, as seen in schizophrenia.

parathyroid
(par″ә-thi´roid) near the thyroid gland. a parathyroid gland. a preparation containing parathyroid hormone from animal parathyroid glands; used for diagnosis and treatment of hypoparathyroidism.