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

perochirus
(pe″ro-ki´rәs) an individual with congenitally deformed hands.

peromelia
(pe″ro-me´le-ә) severe dysmelia.

peromelus
(pe-rom´ә-lәs) an individual with severe dysmelia (congenitally deformed limbs).

peroneal
(per″o-ne´әl) pertaining to the fibula or to the lateral aspect of the leg; fibular.

peroneal artery
origin, posterior tibial artery; branches, perforating, communicating, calcaneal, and lateral and medial malleolar branches, and calcaneal rete; distribution, outside and back of ankle, deep calf muscles.

peroneal atrophy
peroneal muscular atrophy progressive neuromuscular atrophy.

peroneal paralysis
crossed leg palsy.

peroneal veins
veins following the distribution of the peroneal artery, emptying into the posterior tibial vein.

peroneus brevis muscle
short peroneal muscle: origin, lateral surface of fibula; insertion, tuberosity on base of fifth metatarsal bone; innervation, superficial peroneal nerve; action, everts, abducts, plantar flexes foot.

peroneus longus muscle
long peroneal muscle: origin, lateral condyle of tibia, head and lateral surface of fibula; insertion, medial cuneiform bone, first metatarsal bone; innervation, superficial peroneal nerve; action, abducts, everts, plantar flexes foot.

peroneus tertius muscle
third peroneal muscle: origin, anterior surface of fibula, interosseous membrane; insertion, base of fifth metatarsal bone; innervation, deep peroneal nerve; action, everts, dorsiflexes foot.

peropus
(pe´ro-pәs) an individual with congenitally malformed lower limbs and feet.

peroral
(pәr-or´әl) performed or administered through the mouth.

peroxidase
(pәr-ok´sĭ-dās) any of a group of iron-porphyrin enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of some organic substrates in the presence of hydrogen peroxide.

peroxide
(pәr-ok´sīd) that oxide of any element containing more oxygen than any other; more correctly applied to compounds having such linkage as sbondOsbondOsbond.

peroxisome
(pәr-ok´sĭ-sōm) a tiny body found inside the cells of vertebrates, especially kidney and liver cells; it contains urate oxidase, amino acid oxidase, catalase, and other enzymes.

perphenazine
(pәr-fen´ә-zēn) a phenothiazine compound used orally and intramuscularly as an antipsychotic agent and antiemetic.

Persantine
(pәr-san´tēn) trademark for preparations of dipyridamole, a coronary vasodilator used to prevent clotting associated with mechanical heart valves and as an adjunct in radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging.

perseveration
(pәr-sev″әr-a´shәn) the inappropriate persistence or repetition of a thought or action after the causative stimulus has ceased or in response to different stimuli; for example, a patient answers a question correctly but incorrectly gives the same answer to succeeding questions. Perseveratio...

persic oil
an oil expressed from the kernels of varieties of Prunus armeniaca (the apricot) and P. persica (the peach); used as a vehicle for drugs.

persistent fetal circulation
persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.

persistent müllerian duct
the persistence in otherwise normal males of müllerian structures that normally should regress in utero. See persistent müllerian duct syndrome.

persistent müllerian duct syndrome
(pur-sis´tent mē-le´re-әn dukt) a hereditary syndrome in males of persistence of müllerian structures in addition to male genital ducts. There may be cryptorchidism on just one side with a contralateral inguinal hernia> that contains a testis, uterus, and uterine tube

persistent vegetative state
a condition of profound nonresponsiveness in the wakeful state caused by brain damage at whatever level and characterized by a nonfunctioning cerebral cortex, the absence of any discernible adaptive response to the external environment, akinesia, mutism, and inability to signal; the electroencephalogram may be isoelectric...

persona
(pәr-so´nә) Jung's term for the personality mask or facade presented by a person to the outside world, as opposed to the anima, the inner being.

personality
(pur″sә-nal´ĭ-te) the characteristic way that a person thinks, feels, and behaves; the relatively stable and predictable part of a person's thought and behavior; it includes conscious attitudes, values, and styles as well as unconscious conflicts and defense mechanisms. Personality traits are simple fea...

personality disorders
a group of mental disorders characterized by enduring, inflexible, and maladaptive personality traits that deviate markedly from cultural expectations, pervade a broad range of situations, and are either a source of subjective distress or a cause of significant impairment in social, occupational, or other functioning.

perspiration
(pur″spĭ-ra´shәn) sweating. sweat.

Perthes disease
(per´tēz) Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease.

Perthes test
(for collateral circulation in patients with varicose veins) a bandage is applied just below the knee and the patient walks around with it on; varicose veins of the leg will become evacuated from continuous compression if there is sufficient collateral circulation in the deep veins. Called also tourniquet test.

pertrochanteric fracture
fracture of the femur passing through the greater trochanter.

pertussis
(pәr-tus´is) an infectious disease characterized by inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and peculiar paroxysms of coughing. Although it may attack at any age, most cases occur in children. The causative organism is Bordetella pertussis, which is spread by the victim's coughing and sneezing and ...

pertussis immune globulin
a specific immune globulin derived from the blood plasma of human donors immunized with pertussis vaccine; used for the prophylaxis and treatment of pertussis.

pertussis syndrome
pertussis.

pertussis vaccine
a preparation of killed Bordetella pertussis bacilli (whole-cell vaccine) or of purified antigenic components of it (acellular vaccine), used to immunize against pertussis; generally used in combination with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (see diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine).

pertussis-like syndrome
a syndrome clinically indistinguishable from pertussis, but without no evidence of infection with Bordetella pertussis or B. parapertussis; the most common infectious agents are adenoviruses. Cf. parapertussis.

pertussoid
(pәr-tus´oid) resembling whooping cough.

Peruvian wart
verruga peruana.

pervasive developmental disorders
a group of disorders characterized by impairment of development in multiple areas, including the acquisition of reciprocal social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication skills, and imaginative activity, and by stereotyped interests and behaviors; included are autistic disorder and various less common conditions.

perversion
(pәr-vur´zhәn) deviation from the normal course; a morbid alteration of function which may occur in emotional, intellectual, or volitional fields. sexual deviation. sexual perversion sexual deviation.

pes
(pes) pl. pe´des Latin word meaning foot. In anatomy, it is used to denote the foot or any footlike part.

pes abductus
(pes ab-duk´tәs) talipes valgus.

pes adductus
(pes ad-duk´tәs) talipes varus.

pes cavus
(pes ka´vәs) talipes cavus.

pes hippocampi
(pes hip″o-kam´pәs) a formation of two or three elevations on the ventricular surface of the hippocampus.

pes planus
(pes pla´nәs) pes valgus (pes val´gәs) flatfoot.

pes varus
(pes varl´әs) talipes varus.

pessary
(pes´ә-re) an instrument placed in the vagina to support the uterus or rectum or as a contraceptive device. a medicated vaginal suppository.

pessary cell
an erythrocyte that has lost its color because its hemoglobin is present only as a circumferential rim.

pesticide
(pes´tĭ-sīd) a poison used to destroy pests of any sort.

pestilence
(pes´tĭ-lәns) a virulent contagious epidemic or infectious epidemic disease. adj., pestilen´tial., adj.

pestle
(pes´әl) an instrument with a rounded end, used in a mortar to reduce a solid to a powder or produce a homogeneous mixture of solids.

PET
positron emission tomography.

PET scan
positron emission tomography, or the image obtained from it.

petaling
(pet´al-ing) applying small curved pieces of moleskin to a dry plaster of Paris cast to create a smooth edge that is less likely to crumble and injure the skin.

petechia
(pә-te´ke-ә) a minute, pinpoint, nonraised, perfectly round, purplish red spot caused by intradermal or submucous hemorrhage; it later turns blue or yellow. adj., pete´chial., adj.

petechial hemorrhage
the tiny capillary hemorrhage that causes a petechia.

petiole
(pet´e-ōl) a stem, stalk, or pedicle. epiglottic petiole the pointed lower end of the epiglottic cartilage, attached to the thyroid cartilage.

petiolus
(pә-ti´o-lәs) petiole.

Petit canal
(pә-te´) zonular spaces.

Petit ligament
(pә-te´) uterosacral ligament.

petit mal epilepsy
absence epilepsy.

Petri dish
(pe´tre) a round, shallow, flat-bottomed transparent glass or plastic dish with vertical sides and a similar but slightly larger dish that forms a cover; used for the culture of microorganisms on solid media and for tissue cell cultures.

petrolatum
(pet″ro-la´tәm) a purified mixture of semisolid hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum, used as a base for ointments, protective dressings, and soothing applications to the skin. Called also petroleum jelly. liquid petrolatum see mineral oil.

petroleum
(pә-tro´le-әm) a thick natural oil obtained from beneath the earth. It consists of a mixture of various hydrocarbons of the paraffin and olefin series.

petromastoid
(pet″ro-mas´toid) pertaining to the petrous part of the temporal bone and its mastoid process. otocranium (def. 2).

petromastoid part of temporal bone
see petrous part of temporal bone.

petrosal
(pә-tro´sәl) pertaining to the pars petrosa, or petrous portion of the temporal bone.

petrosal foramen
a small opening sometimes present behind the foramen ovale for transmission of the lesser petrosal nerve.

petrosal vein
a short trunk arising from the union of four or five cerebellar and pontine veins opposite the middle cerebellar peduncle and terminating in the superior petrosal sinus.

petrositis
(pet″ro-si´tis) inflammation of the pars petrosa or petrous portion of the temporal bone.

petrosphenoid
(pet″ro-sfe´noid) pertaining to the petrous portion of the temporal bone and to the sphenoid bone.

petrosphenoid syndrome
Jacod syndrome.

petrosquamous
(pet″ro-skwa´mәs) pertaining to the petrous and squamous parts of the temporal bone.

petrous
(pet´rәs) resembling rock or stone; stony.

petrous bone
petrous part of temporal bone.

petrous ganglion
inferior ganglion of glossopharyngeal nerve.

petrous part of temporal bone
the part of the temporal bone located at the base of the skull, containing the inner ear. Some anatomists divide it into two separate subparts, calling the back section the mastoid part, saving the term petrous part for the front section only, and calling the entire area the petromastoid part. Called also petrous bone.

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome
(pootz´ ja´gerz) familial adenomatous polyposis, usually in the small intestine, associated with mucocutaneous pigmentation.

pexis
(pek´sis) the fixation of matter by a tissue. surgical fixation, usually by suturing. adj., pex´ic., adj.

peyote
(pa-yo´ta) a Mexican cactus of the genus Lophophora. a drug made from the flowering heads of this cactus, whose active principle is the hallucinogen mescaline; used by North American Indians in certain ceremonies to produce feelings of ecstasy.

Peyronie disease
(pa-ro-ne´) a self-limiting disease of the penis that causes hardening of the corpora cavernosa, resulting in painful chordee and penile curvature.

Pfannenstiel incision
a curved abdominal incision, the convexity being directed downward, just above the symphysis, passing through skin, superficial fascia, and aponeurosis, exposing the pyramidalis and rectus muscles, which are separated from each other in the midline, the peritoneum then being opened vertically. See illustration.

Pfeiffer phenomenon
the lysis of Vibrio cholerae when injected into the peritoneal cavity of an immunized guinea pig; the term is also used to describe the in vitro lysis of cholera vibrios or other bacteria when incubated with specific antibody and complement.

Pfeiffer syndrome
(fi´fer) a hereditary autosomal dominant disorder characterized by conical deformity of the head, extra fingers and toes, webbed fingers and toes, and broad short thumbs and great toes. Called also acrocephalosyndactyly, type V, and acrocephalopolysyndactyly, type I.

PG
prostaglandin.

pg
picogram.

pH
the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration, [H+], a measure of the degree to which a solution is acidic or alkaline. An acid is a substance that can give up a hydrogen ion (H+); a base is a substance that can accept H+. The more acidic a solution the greater the hydrogen ion concentration and the lower the pH; a pH of 7...

Ph1 chromosome
Philadelphia chromosome.

phacitis
(fә-si´tis) phakitis.

phacoanaphylaxis
(fak″o-an″ә-fә-lak´sis) hypersensitivity to the protein of the crystalline lens of the eye, induced by escape of material from the lens capsule.

phacocele
(fak´o-sēl) hernia of the eye lens.

phacocystectomy
(fak″o-sis-tek´tә-me) excision of part of the lens capsule for cataract.

phacocystitis
(fak″o-sis-ti´tis) inflammation of the capsule of the eye lens.

phacoemulsification
(fak″o-e-mul″sĭ-fĭ-ka´shәn) a technique of cataract extraction, utilizing high-frequency ultrasonic vibrations to fragment the lens combined with controlled irrigation to maintain normal pressure in the anterior chamber, and suction to remove lens fragments and irrigating fluid.

phacoerysis
(fak″o-ә-re´sis) removal of the eye lens in cataract by suction.

phacoid
(fak´oid) shaped like a lens.

phacoiditis
(fak″oi-di´tis) phakitis.

phacolysis
(fә-kol´ĭ-sis) dissolution or discission of the crystalline lens. adj., phacolyt´ic., adj.

phacomalacia
(fak″o-mә-la´shә) softening of the eye lens; a soft cataract, that is, one without a hard nucleus.