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

Volkmann canals
(fōk´mahn) canals communicating with the haversian canals, for passage of blood vessels through bone.

Volkmann contracture
Volkmann ischemic paralysisVolkmann syndrome (fōk´mahn) contraction of the fingers and sometimes of the wrist, or of analogous parts of the foot, with loss of power, after severe injury or improper use of a tourniquet or cast in the region of the elbow.

Volkmann disease
(fōlk´mahn) congenital deformity of the foot caused by dislocation of the joint between the tibia and the tarsus.

volley
(vol´e) a rhythmical succession of muscular twitches artificially induced; the aggregate of nerve impulses set up by a single stimulus.

volsella
(vol-sel´ә) vulsella.

volt
(V) (vōlt) the SI unit of electric potential or electromotive force, equal to 1 watt per ampere, or 1 joule per coulomb. electron volt(eV) a unit of energy equal to the energy acquired by an electron when accelerated through a potential differ...

voltage
(vōl´tәj) electromotive force measured in volts.

voltage-gated channel
an ion channel that can be opened or closed in response to changes in the electric potential across a cell membrane. See also ligand-gated channel.

voltaic cell
an electrochemical cell that serves as a voltage source. Called also galvanic cell.

voltmeter
(vōlt´me-tәr) an instrument for measuring electromotive force in volts.

Voltolini disease
(vol″to-le´ne) acute, painful inflammation of the inner ear followed by meningitis with deafness and unconsciousness.

volume
(vol´ūm) the space occupied by a substance or a three-dimensional region; the capacity of such a region or of a container.

volumetric
(vol″u-met´rik) pertaining to or accompanied by measurement in volumes.

volumetric solution
one that contains a specific quantity of solvent per stated unit of volume.

voluntary
(vol´әn-tar″e) under the control of someone's will.

voluntary muscle
skeletal muscle.

voluntary nervous system
somatic nervous system.

volute
(vo-lūt´) rolled up.

volutrauma
(vol´u-traw″mә) damage to the lung caused by overdistention by a mechanical ventilator set for an excessively high tidal volume; it results in a syndrome similar to adult respiratory distress syndrome.

volvulosis
(vol″vu-lo´sis) onchocerciasis due to Onchocerca volvulus.

volvulus
(vol´vu-lәs) twisting of a loop of intestine, causing obstruction. It may become strangulated.

vomer
(vo´mәr) the unpaired flat bone that forms the lower back part of the nasal septum. adj., vo´merine., adj.

vomer bone
vomer.

vomeronasal cartilage
either of the two narrow strips of cartilage, one on each side, of the nasal septum supporting the vomeronasal organ.

vomit
(vom´it) matter expelled from the stomach by the mouth. to eject stomach contents through the mouth. black vomit vomit consisting of blood that has been acted upon by the gastric juice, seen in yellow fever and other conditions in which blood collects in the stomach...

vomiting
(vom´it-ing) forcible ejection of contents of stomach through the mouth. Called also emesis and regurgitation.

vomiting center
a nerve center in the lower central region of the medulla oblongata; its stimulation causes vomiting.

vomiting of pregnancy
hyperemesis gravidarum.

vomiting reflex
the reflex for vomiting, caused by reflexive stimulation of muscles of the gastrointestinal tract and throat; it is mediated by centers in the medulla oblongata and can be set in motion by a variety of stimuli. See also gag reflex.

vomitory
(vom´ĭ-tor″e) emetic.

vomiturition
(vom″it-u-rish´әn) retching.

vomitus
(vom´ĭ-tәs) vomiting. matter vomited.

von Burow operation
Burow operation.

von Economo disease
lethargic encephalitis.

von Gierke disease
(von gēr´kә) glycogen storage disease, type I.

von Graefe sign
Graefe sign.

von Hansemann cells
macrophages containing Michaelis-Gutmann bodies, occurring as sheets of cells in malacoplakia of the urinary tract or kidney. Called also Hansemann macrophages.

von Hippel disease
(fōn hip´әl) hemangiomatosis confined chiefly to the retina.

von Hippel-Lindau disease
(fōn hip´әl lin´dou) a hereditary condition marked by angiomatosis of the retina and cerebellum, which may be associated with similar lesions of the spinal cord and cysts of the viscera; neurologic symptoms, including seizures and mental retardation, may be present.

von Kupffer cells
Kupffer cells.

von Maschke test
(for creatinine) to the suspected solution add a few drops of Fehling solution, after mixing with a cold solution of sodium carbonate; an amorphous, flocculent precipitate proves the presence of creatinine.

von Pirquet test
Pirquet test.

von Recklinghausen disease
(von rek´ling-how″zәn) Type I neurofibromatosis. see osteitis fibrosa cystica.

von Willebrand disease
(fōn vil´ә-brahnt) a congenital, autosomal dominant, coagulopathy, characterized by a prolonged bleeding time, deficiency of the von Willebrand factor, and often impairment of platelet adhesion. It is associated with nosebleeds, as well as increased bleeding after trauma, after surgery, during menstruation, a...

von Willebrand factor
(vWF) a glycoprotein synthesized in endothelial cells and megakaryocytes that circulates complexed to factor VIII. It is involved in adhesion of platelets to damaged epithelial surfaces and may participate in platelet aggregation. Deficiency results in the prolonged bleeding time seen in von Willebrand disease.

von Zeynek and Mencki test
(for blood) precipitate the urine with acetone, extract the precipitate with acidified acetone, and examine the colored extract under the microscope for small hemin crystals.

VOO pacemaker
ventricular asynchronous pacemaker.

voriconazole
(vor″ĭ-ko´nә-zōl) a triazole antifungal compound used for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis, administered orally.

vortex
(vor´teks) a whorled or spiral arrangement or pattern, as of muscle fibers, or of the ridges or hairs of the skin.

vorticose veins
four veins that pierce the sclera and carry blood from the choroid to the superior ophthalmic vein.

voxel
(vok´sel) a volume element; the region in a tissue slice that corresponds to a pixel (picture element) in an image. See also computed tomography.

voyeurism
(voi´yәr-iz-әm) a paraphilia in which the preferred method of achieving sexual excitement is by the repetitive watching of unsuspecting people who are naked, disrobing, or engaging in sexual activity.

VP
variegate porphyria.

VP-16
etoposide.

VPF
vascular permeability factor; see vascular endothelial growth factor.

VR
vocal resonance.

Vrolik disease
(vro´lik) osteogenesis imperfecta (type II), recessive form; see osteogenesis imperfecta.

VS
volumetric solution.

vs
vibration seconds (the unit of measurement of sound waves).

VT
tidal volume.

vuerometer
(vu″әr-om´ә-tәr) an instrument for measuring the distance between the eyes.

vulgaris
(vәl-ga´ris) Latin word meaning ordinary, common; used in species names and names of diseases.

vulnerable period
that time at the peak of the T wave during which serious arrhythmias are likely to result if a stimulus occurs.

vulsella
(vәl-sel´ә) vulsellum (vәl-sel´әm) a forceps with clawlike hooks at the end of each blade.

vulva
(vәl´vә) the external genital organs in the female. Two pairs of skin folds protect the vaginal opening, one on each side. The larger outer folds are the labia majora pudendi and the more delicate inner folds are the labia minora pudendi. In a virgin, a thin membrane called the hymen usually partially covers...

vulvar vestibulitis syndrome
(VVS) severe pain and tenderness of the vulvar vestibule upon touch or attempted vaginal entry; a major cause of dyspareunia.

vulvectomy
(vәl-vek´tә-me) excision of the vulva.

vulvismus
(vәl-viz´mәs) vaginismus.

vulvitis
(vәl-vi´tis) inflammation of the vulva. erosive vulvitis vulvitis due to a mixed microbial infection in which gangrenous ulcerations similar to the lesions seen in noma of the oral tissues affect the labia majora pudendi. plasma cell vulvitis ...

vulvocrural
(vul″vo-kroo´rәl) pertaining to the vulva and thigh.

vulvouterine
(vul″vo-u´tәr-in) pertaining to the vulva and uterus.

vulvovaginal
(vul″vo-vaj´ĭ-nәl) pertaining to the vulva and vagina.

vulvovaginal candidiasis
candidal infection of the vagina, and usually also the vulva. The most prominent symptom is severe itching, and it is also characterized by a white discharge, vulvar redness and swelling, and dyspareunia. Sexual transmission is unlikely. Called also Candida or candidal vaginitis and Candida or candidal vulvovaginitis.

vulvovaginal gland
Bartholin gland.

vulvovaginitis
(vul″vo-vaj″ĭ-ni´tis) inflammation of the vulva and vagina. senile vulvovaginitis atrophic vaginitis in which there is intense itching around the vagina, almost complete lack of vaginal secretions, and tissue atrophy.

vv.
abbreviation for Latin ve´nae (veins).

VVI pacemaker
ventricular demand inhibited pacemaker.

VVIR pacemaker
a ventricular demand inhibited pacemaker that is responsive to the patient's respiratory rate and thus to exercise and metabolic needs.

VVT pacemaker
ventricular demand triggered pacemaker.

vWF
von Willebrand factor.

Waaler-Rose test
Rose-Waaler test.

Waardenburg syndrome
(vahr´den-boorg) any of several hereditary conditions characterized principally by a combination of ear defects and abnormalities of pigment. There may be pigmentary irregularities of the iris and retinal fundus; a patch of white hair or white eyelashes; leukoderma; and cochlear hearing loss. The underlying cause is dis...

Waardenburg-Shah syndrome
(vahr´den-boorg shah´) Waardenburg syndrome type 4.

Wada test
(for cerebral dominance of language function) amobarbital is injected into an internal carotid artery to produce transient hemiparesis of the contralateral limbs. Injection into the artery of the hemisphere dominant for language produces a transient aphasia, into that of the nondominant hemisphere does not interfere with ...

waddling gait
exaggerated alternation of lateral trunk movements with an exaggerated elevation of the hip, suggesting the gait of a duck; characteristic of muscular dystrophy.

Wagner test
(for occult blood), see benzidine test.

WAGR syndrome
a syndrome of Wilms' tumor, aniridia, genitourinary abnormalities or gonadoblastoma, and mental retardation, due to a small interstitial deletion of the p13 region of chromosome 11.

Wagstaffe fracture
separation of the internal malleolus.

waist
(wāst) the portion of the body between the thorax and the hips.

waking paralysis
sleep paralysis.

Waldenström disease
(vahl´den-strәrm) osteochondrosis of the capitular femoral epiphysis.

Waldeyer glands
glands in the attached edge of the eyelid.

Walker lissencephaly
(wawk´әr) Walker-Warburg syndrome.

Walker-Warburg syndrome
(wawk´әr vahr´boorg) a congenital syndrome, usually fatal before the age of one year, consisting of hydrocephalus, agyria, various ocular anomalies such as retinal dysplasia, corneal opacity, and microphthalmia, and sometimes an encephalocele. Called also Walker lissencephaly, HARD syndrome, and Warburg syndrome.

walking test
an exercise test used to assess exercise tolerance in very disabled patients by measuring the distance walked in a set time interval.

wall
(wawl) a structure bounding or limiting a space or a definitive mass of material; called also paries. cell wall a rigid structure that lies just outside of and is joined to the plasma membrane of plant cells and most prokaryotic cells, which protects the cell and maintains its sh...

wall eye
exotropia.

Wallenberg syndrome
(vahl´әn-bәrg) a syndrome due usually to occlusion of the vertebral artery, and less often to occlusion of its branch, the posterior inferior cerebellar artery; marked by ipsilateral loss of temperature and pain sensations of the face and contralateral loss of these sensations of the extremities and tr...

wallerian degeneration
fatty degeneration of a nerve fiber that has been severed from its nutritive source.

walleye
(wawl´i) exotropia. leukoma.