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

vasomotor rhinitis
nonallergic rhinitis in which transient changes in vascular tone and permeability (with the same symptoms of allergic rhinitis) are brought on by such stimuli as mild chilling, fatigue, anger, and anxiety. any condition of allergic or nonallergic rhinitis, as opposed to infectious rhinitis.

vasomotor system
the part of the nervous system that controls the caliber of the blood vessels.

vasoneurosis
(va″zo-) (vas″o-ndbobr-ro´sis) angioneuropathy.

vasoocclusion
(va″zo-) (vas″o-ә-kloo´zhәn) occlusion of a blood vessel or vessels. See also ischemia. adj., vasoocclu´sive., adj.

vasoocclusive crisis
a type of sickle cell crisis in which vasoocclusion causes infarctions and severe pain in the bones, joints, lungs, liver, spleen, kidney, eye, or central nervous system.

vasoparesis
(va″zo-) (vas″o-pә-re´sis) partial paralysis of vasomotor nerves.

vasopermeability
(va″zo-) (vas″o-pur″me-ә-bil´ĭ-te) the permeability of a blood vessel; the extent to which a blood vessel is permeable.

vasopressin
(va″zo-) (vas″o-pres´in) a hormone secreted by cells of the hypothalamic nuclei and then stored as a posterior pituitary hormone for release as necessary; it stimulates contraction of the muscular tissues of the capillaries and arterioles, raising the blood pressure, and increases peristalsi...

vasopressor
(va″zo-) (vas″o-pres´әr) stimulating contraction of the muscular tissue of the capillaries and arteries. an agent that has this effect.

vasopuncture
(va″zo-) (vas″o-punk´chәr) surgical puncture of the vas (ductus) deferens.

vasoreflex
(va″zo-) (vas″o-re´fleks) a reflex of blood vessels.

vasorelaxation
(va″zo-) (vas″o-re-lak-sa´shәn) decrease of vascular pressure.

vasosection
(va″zo-) (vas″o-sek´shәn) the severing of a vessel or vessels.

vasosensory
(va″zo-) (vas″o-sen´sәr-e) supplying sensory filaments to the vessels.

vasosensory nerve
any nerve supplying sensory fibers to the vessels.

vasospasm
(va″zo-) (vas´o-spaz″әm) a spasm of blood vessels, causing vasoconstriction; called also angiospasm. adj., vasospas´tic, adj. .

vasostimulant
(va″zo-) (vas″o-stim´u-lәnt) stimulating vasomotor action.

vasotomy
(va-zot´ә-me) incision of the vas (ductus) deferens.

vasotonia
(va″zo-) (vas″o-to´ne-ә) tone or tension of the vessels.

vasotonic
(va″zo-) (vas″o-ton´ik) pertaining to, characterized by, or increasing vasotonia.

vasotrophic
(va″zo-) (vas″o-tro´fik) pertaining to the nutrition of blood vessels.

vasotropic
(va″zo-) (vas″o-tro´pik) exerting an influence on the blood vessels, causing either constriction or dilatation.

vasovagal
(va″zo-) (vas″o-va´gәl) vascular and vagal.

vasovagal attack
a transient vascular and neurogenic reaction marked by pallor, nausea, sweating, bradycardia, and rapid fall in arterial blood pressure, which, when below a critical level, results in loss of consciousness and characteristic electroencephalographic changes. It is most often evoked by emotional stress associated with fear ...

vasovagal syncope
vasovagal attack.

vasovasostomy
(va″zo-) (vas″o-va-zos´tә-me) anastomosis of the ends of the severed vas (ductus) deferens.

vasovesiculectomy
(va″zo-) (vas″o-vә-sik″u-lek´tә-me) excision of the vas (ductus) deferens and seminal vesicle.

vastus
(vas´tәs) Latin word meaning huge; a term used in anatomy.

vastus intermedius muscle
origin, anterior and lateral surfaces of femur; insertion, patella, common tendon of quadriceps femoris muscle; innervation, femoral nerve; action, extends leg.

vastus lateralis muscle
origin, lateral aspect of femur; insertion, patella, common tendon of quadriceps femoris muscle; innervation, femoral nerve; action, extends leg.

vastus medialis muscle
origin, medial aspect of femur; insertion, patella, common tendon of quadriceps femoris muscle; innervation, femoral nerve; action, extends leg.

VAT pacemaker
atrial synchronous ventricular pacemaker.

VATER complex
an association of congenital anomalies consisting of vertebral defects, imperforate anus, tracheoesophageal fistula, and radial and renal dysplasia.

vault
(vawlt) an arched or domelike structure; see also fornix. cranial vault calvaria. vaginal vault fornix vaginae, used to denote the entire recess without reference to its parts.

VC
vital capacity. acuity of color vision.

VCF syndrome
velocardiofacial syndrome a rare autosomal dominant syndrome of cardiac defects and characteristic craniofacial abnormalities including cleft palate, jaw abnormalities, and prominent nose; it is often associated with abnormalities of chromosome 22. Learning disabilities occur often; short stature, slender hyperextensible h...

VCG
vector cardiogram.

VD
venereal disease.

VDD pacemaker
atrial synchronous ventricular inhibited pacemaker.

VDH
valvular disease of the heart.

VDRL
Venereal Disease Research Laboratory.

VDRL antigen
the antigen used in the VDRL test for syphilis, containing cardiolipin, cholesterol, and enough lecithin to produce standard reactivity.

VDRL test
a flocculation test for syphilis designed by the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory; used to test heat-inactivated serum with VDRL antigen

vector
(vek´tәr) a carrier, especially an animal such as an arthropod that transfers an infective agent from one host to another. Examples are the mosquito that carries the malaria parasite Plasmodium between humans, and the tsetse fly that carries trypanosomes from other animals to humans. Dogs, bats, and other animals ...

vector analysis
analysis of a moving force to determine both its magnitude and its direction, such as analysis of the scalar electrocardiogram to determine the magnitude and direction of the electromotive force for one complete cycle of the heart.

vector-borne infection
one caused by microorganisms transmitted from one host to another by a carrier such as a biting insect.

vectorcardiogram
(VCG) (vek″tәr-kahr´de-o-gram″) a graphic representation of the magnitude and direction of the action currents of the heart, in the form of a vector loop. See also vectorcardiography.

vectorcardiography
(vek″tәr-kahr″de-og´rә-fe) the registration, usually by formation of a loop on an oscilloscope, of the direction and magnitude (vector) of the moment-to-moment electromotive forces of the heart during one complete cycle. adj., vectorcardiograph´ic, adj. .

vecuronium
(vek″u-ro´ne-um) a nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent, used in the form of the bromide salt as an adjunct to general anesthesia to induce relaxation of skeletal muscle and to facilitate endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation; administered intravenously.

VEE virus
Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus the species of the genus Alphavirus that causes Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis.

vegan
(ve´gәn) (vej´әn) a vegetarian who excludes from the diet all food of animal origin.

vegan diet
the diet of a vegan; see also veganism and vegetarian diet.

veganism
(ve´gәn-iz-әm) adherence to a strict vegetarian diet, with exclusion of all food of animal origin.

vegetable
(vej´ә-tә-bәl) pertaining to or derived from plants. any plant or species of plant, especially one cultivated as a source of food.

vegetal
(vej´ә-tәl) pertaining to plants or a plant. vegetative.

vegetarian
(vej″ә-tar´e-әn) excluding meat. one who follows a vegetarian diet.

vegetarian diet
one in which no meat is eaten. The strictest type of vegetarian diet is the vegan diet, which allows no foods of animal origin. Maintenance of such a diet requires a firm commitment to restriction of dietary intake, an extensive knowledge of dietary principles, and detailed planning to ensure nutritional adequacy. Deficiencies ...

vegetarianism
(vej″ә-tar´e-әn-iz″әm) adherence to a vegetarian diet.

vegetation
(vej″ә-ta´shәn) any plantlike fungoid neoplasm or growth; a luxuriant fungus-like growth of pathologic tissue.

vegetative
(vej´ә-ta″tiv) concerned with growth and nutrition. functioning involuntarily or unconsciously. pertaining to plants. pertaining to asexual reproduction, such as by budding or fission.

vegetative endocarditis
verrucous endocarditis endocarditis, infectious or noninfectious, whose characteristic lesions are vegetations or verrucae on the endocardium.

VEGF
vascular endothelial growth factor.

vehicle
(ve´ĭ-kәl) excipient. any medium through which an impulse is propagated.

veil
(vāl) a covering structure; see also velamen and velum. caul. slight huskiness of the voice.

veil cells
veiled cells a type of antigen-presenting cells with numerous surface ruffles or veil-like processes, found in the afferent lymph and lymphatic sinuses; they may contain inclusions similar to the Birbeck granules characteristic of the Langerhans cells of the epidermis.

vein
(vān) a vessel through which blood passes from various organs or parts back to the heart, in the systemic circulation carrying blood that has given up most of its oxygen. Veins, like arteries, have three coats, an inner coat (tunica intima), middle coat (tunica media), and outer coat (tunica externa); however, in v...

vein of bulb of penis
a vein draining blood from the bulb of the penis into the internal pudendal vein.

vein of bulb of vestibule
a vein draining blood from the bulb of the vestibule of the vagina into the internal pudendal vein.

vein of cochlear aqueduct
vein of cochlear canaliculus a vein along the aqueduct of the cochlea that empties into the superior bulb of the internal jugular vein.

vein of olfactory gyrus
a vein that drains the olfactory gyrus into the basal vein.

vein of pterygoid canal
one of the veins that pass through the pterygoid canal and empty into the pterygoid plexus.

vein of uncus
a vein that drains the uncus into the inferior cerebral vein of the same side.

vein of vestibular aqueduct
a small vein from the inner ear that passes through the aqueduct of the vestibule and empties into the superior petrosal sinus.

vein sign
a bluish cord along the midaxillary line formed by the swollen junction of the thoracic and superficial epigastric vein; seen in tuberculosis involving the bronchial glands and in superior vena cava obstruction.

veins of caudate nucleus
veins within the corpus striatum of the brain that drain into the superior thalamostriate vein.

veins of encephalic trunk
the veins that drain the brainstem and empty into the basal or great cerebral vein; see anterior pontomesencephalic vein, pontine veins, veins of medulla oblongata, and vein of lateral recess of fourth ventricle.

veins of medulla oblongata
the veins that drain the medulla oblongata, which empty into the veins of the spinal cord, the adjacent dural venous sinuses, the inferior petrosal sinus, or the superior bulb of the jugular vein.

veins of orbit
the veins that drain the orbit and its structures, including the superior ophthalmic vein and its branches and the inferior ophthalmic vein.

veins of vertebral column
a plexiform venous network extending the entire length of the vertebral column, outside or inside the vertebral canal; the anterior and posterior external and anterior and posterior internal groups interconnect and end in the intervertebral veins.

velamen
(ve-la´mәn) Latin word meaning a covering structure; a term used in anatomy. See veil and velum.

velamentous
(vel″ә-men´tәs) membranous and pendant; like a veil.

Velban
(vel´ban) trademark for a preparation of vinblastine sulfate, an antineoplastic agent.

vellus
(vel´әs) the coat of fine hairs that appears after the lanugo hairs are cast off and that persists until puberty. a structure resembling this fine hair.

vellus hair
vellus (def. 1).

velocimetry
(ve″lo-sim´ә-tre) measurement of speed, such as speed of flow. See also flowmeter.

velocity
(vә-los´ĭ-te) the rate of movement of a body in a given direction.

velopharyngeal
(ve″lo-fә-rin´je-әl) pertaining to the soft palate (velum palatinum) and pharynx.

velopharyngeal insufficiency
inadequate velopharyngeal closure, due to a condition such as cleft palate or muscular dysfunction, resulting in speech problems.

Velosef
(vel´o-sef) trademark for preparations of cephradine, a cephalosporinantibiotic.

Velpeau hernia
prevascular femoral hernia.

velum
(ve´lәm) Latin word meaning a covering structure; see also veil. adj., ve´lar, adj. . velum interpositum the membranous roof of the third ventricle of the brain. medullary velum either of the two portions (superior and inferior medullary velum...

vena
(ve´nә) pl. ve´nae Latin word meaning vein.

vena cava foramen
an opening in the diaphragm for the inferior vena cava and some branches of the right vagus nerve.

vena caval syndrome
(ve´nah ka´val) supine hypotension syndrome.

venectasia
(ve″nәk-ta´zhә) a varicosity of a vein.

venectomy
(ve-nek´tә-me) phlebectomy.

veneer
(vә-nēr´) a thin layer of tooth-colored material, usually made of porcelain, some other ceramic, or acrylic resin, attached to a prepared tooth surface to modify its shape or color.

venereal
(vә-nēr´e-әl) pertaining to, related to, or transmitted by sexual contact.

venereal disease
sexually transmitted disease.

venereal ulcer
a nonspecific term referring to ulcers around the external genitalia, resembling chancre or chancroid; some may be from causes other than sexual transmission.