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

cataract
(kat´ә-rakt) opacity of the lens or lens capsule of the eye; the great majority of cases are what are called “senile cataracts,” and are apparently a part of the aging process of the human body. In some cases, cataracts result from injury to the eye, exposure to great heat or radiation, or inherited ...

cataract needle
one used in removing a cataract.

cataractogenic
(kat″ә-rak″to-jen´ik) tending to cause formation of cataracts.

cataracts of prematurity
clusters of vacuoles of unknown cause in the Y-shaped sutures of the lens in a premature infant; the condition usually disappears spontaneously within a month.

catarrh
(kә-tahr´) inflammation of a mucous membrane (particularly of the head and throat), with free discharge of mucus. adj., catar´rhal., adj.

catarrhal corneal ulcer
a corneal ulcer found near the limbus in catarrhal conjunctivitis.

catarrhal otitis media
serous otitis media.

catathymia
(kat″ә-thi´me-ә) the existence of unconscious material so emotionally charged or affect-laden that conscious effects are produced. adj., catathy´mic., adj.

catathymic crisis
an isolated, nonrepetitive act of violence that develops as a result of intolerable tension.

catatonia
(kat″ә-to´ne-ә) a sizable group of motor abnormalities, most involving extreme under- or overactivity, associated primarily with catatonic schizophrenia but also with other disorders. Included are motoric immobility, excessive motor activity, extreme negativism or mutism, unusual mannerisms, ster...

catatonic disorder
catatonia due to the physiological effects of a general medical condition and neither better accounted for by another mental disorder nor occurring exclusively during delirium.

catatonic schizophrenia
a type characterized by marked psychomotor disturbance that may involve stupor, rigidity, excitement, negativism, or posturing, or an alteration among these behaviors. Associated features include mutism, stereotypy, and waxy flexibility.

catatricrotic pulse
one in which the descending limb of the tracing shows three small additional waves or notches.

catatricrotism
(kat″ә-tri´kro-tiz-әm) a pulse anomaly in which three small additional waves or notches appear in the descending limb of the pulse tracing. adj., catatricrot´ic., adj.

catchment
(kach´ment) the catching or collecting of water. catchment area.

catchment area
the geographical region drained by one body of water. the area whose residents are served by a specialized health care agency. Called also catchment.

catecholamine
(kat″ә-kol´ә-mēn) any of a group of sympathomimetic amines whose molecule has an aromatic portion of catechol. Catecholamines play an important role in the body's physiological response to stress. Their release at sympathetic nerve endings increases the rate and force of muscular contraction of th...

catecholaminergic
(kat″ә-kol″ә-mĭ-nur´jik) activated by or secreting catecholamines.

categorization
(kat″ĕ-go-rĭ-za´shun) the identification of similarities and differences among pieces of received information.

caterpillar cell
Anichkov cell.

caterpillar dermatitis
caterpillar rash insect dermatitis caused by caterpillar hairs. Called also erucism.

catgut
(kat´gut) surgical gut.

catgut suture
an absorbable suture made from surgical gut.

catharsis
(kә-thahr´sis) a cleansing of the bowels; called also evacuation and purgation. the bringing into consciousness and the emotional reliving of a forgotten (repressed) painful experience as a means of releasing anxiety and tension.

cathartic
(kә-thahr´tik) causing emptying of the bowels. an agent that so acts; called also evacuant and purgative. producing emotional catharsis. bulk cathartic one stimulating bowel evacuation by increasing fecal volume. lubricant cathartic ...

cathectic
(kә-thek´tik) pertaining to cathexis.

cathelicidin
(kә-the″lĭ-si´din) an antimicrobial protein that occurs in white blood cells and the epithelium. It is important in preventing infections. When too much cathelicidin and too much of an enzyme known as stratum corneum tryptic enzyme are present in the skin, an abnormal protein fragment is formed that causes th...

cathepsin
(kә-thep´sin) an endopeptidase found in most cells, which takes part in cell autolysis and self-digestion of tissues.

catheter
(kath´ә-tәr) a tubular, flexible instrument, passed through body channels for withdrawal of fluids from, or introduction of fluids into, a body cavity. Catheter inserted into the abdomen.

catheter ablation
delivery of destructive electrical energy, usually high energy or radiofrequency alternating current, via electrodes on a catheter.

catheter bicoudé
an elbowed catheter with two bends.

catheterization
(kath″ә-tur″ĭ-za´shәn) passage of a catheter into a body channel or cavity. cardiac catheterization insertion of a catheter into a vein or artery and guiding of it into the interior of the heart in order to measure cardiac output, determine the oxygen content...

catheterize
(kath´ә-tәr-īz) to introduce a catheter into a body cavity; see catheterization.

cathexis
(kә-thek´sis) in psychiatry, conscious or unconscious investment of psychic energy in a person, idea, or any other object. adj., cathec´tic., adj.

cathode
(kath´ōd) the electrode at which reduction occurs and to which cations are attracted. adj., cathod´ic., adj.

cation
(kat´i-on) an ion with a positive charge. adj., cation´ic., adj.

cation exchange resin
see ion-exchange resin.

cationic proteins
a group of antimicrobial proteins that are cations and are found in the primary (azurophilic) granules of neutrophils. They have low molecular weights, are rich in arginine, and appear to inhibit microbial growth.

catoptric test
(for cataract) observations are done of the reflections from the cornea and the surfaces of the crystalline lens.

Catu virus
a species of viruses of the genus Bunyavirus closely related to Guama virus, isolated from a Brazilian patient with a febrile illness.

cauda
(kaw´dә) pl. cau´dae Latin word meaning tail, or tail-like appendage. cauda equina the collection of spinal roots descending from the lower spinal cord and occupying the vertebral canal below the cord.

cauda equina syndrome
dull aching pain of the perineum, bladder, and sacrum, generally radiating in a sciatic fashion, with associated paresthesias and areflexic paralysis, due to compression of the spinal nerve roots.

caudad
(kaw´dad) directed toward the tail or distal end; opposite of cephalad.

caudal
(kaw´dәl) pertaining to a cauda. situated more toward the cauda, or tail, than some specified reference point; away from the head.

caudal anesthesia
a type of regional anesthesia that was used in childbirth between the 1940s and the 1960s. The anesthetizing solution, usually procaine, was injected into the caudal area of the spinal canal through the lower end of the sacrum and affected the caudal nerve roots, rendering the cervix, vagina, and perineum insensitive to pain. C...

caudal artery
median sacral artery.

caudal block
caudal anesthesia.

caudal dysplasia syndrome
caudal regression syndrome failure of formation of part or all of the coccygeal, sacral, and occasionally lumbar vertebral units and the corresponding segments of the caudal spinal cord, with resulting neurogenic dysfunction of bowel and bladder; called also sacral agenesis.

caudal flexure
the bend at the aboral end of the embryo.

caudal olivary nucleus
inferior olivary complex.

caudal pancreatic artery
origin, splenic artery; branches and distribution, supplies branches to tail of pancreas, and accessory spleen (if present).

caudate
(kaw´dāt) having a tail.

caudate cells
neuroglial cells of the gray matter having several streaming prolongations like the tail of a comet.

caudate lobe
traditional name for a small lobe of the liver between the inferior vena cava and the left lobe.

caudate nucleus
an elongated, arched gray mass closely related to the lateral ventricle along its entire extent; it and the putamen together form the neostriatum. Nucleus caudatus in a lateral view of the left side of the brain.

caudate process
the right of the two processes on the caudate lobe of the liver.

caul
(kawl) a part of the amniotic sac that sometimes envelops the head of the fetus at birth.

cauliflower ear
a thickened and deformed ear caused by accumulation of fluid and blood clots in the tissue after repeated injury; it is most often seen in boxers, for whom it is almost an occupational hazard. The ear will not recover its normal shape but can be restored to normal by plastic surgery.

caumesthesia
(kaw″mes-the´zhә) a sensation of burning heat even though the body temperature is not elevated.

causalgia
(kaw-zal´jә) complex regional pain syndrome type 2.

causality
(kaw-zal´ĭ-te) the relationship between cause and effect.

caustic
(kaws´tik) burning or corrosive; destructive to tissue. having a burning taste. a corrosive or escharotic agent.

cauterant
(kaw´tәr-әnt) an agent that cauterizes.

cauterization
(kaw″tәr-ĭ-za´shәn) destruction of tissue with a hot or cold instrument, electric current, caustic substance, or other agent. Called also cautery.

cauterize
(kaw´tәr-īz) to apply a cautery; to perform cauterization.

cautery
(kaw´tәr-e) a caustic substance or hot or cold instrument used in cauterization. cauterization. chemical cautery chemocautery. cold cautery cryocautery. electric cautery electrocautery (def. 2).

cava
(ka´vә) [L.] plural of cavum. vena cava.

Cavare disease
(kә-var´e) familial periodic paralysis.

caveola
(ka-ve-o´lә) pl. caveo´lae one of the minute pits or incuppings of the cell membrane formed during pinocytosis.

caveolated cells
epithelial cells with thick, short, apical microvilli containing bundles of filaments extending down into the cytoplasm and with irregular tubules (caveolae) passing as invaginations from the apical surface between microvilli; occasionally found in the small intestine and respiratory tract and thought to function as chemo...

caverna
(ka-vur´nә) pl. caver´nae Latin word meaning cavity (def. 1).

cavernitis
(kav″әr-ni´tis) inflammation of the corpora cavernosa or corpus spongiosum of the penis.

cavernositis
(kav″әr-no-si´tis) cavernitis.

cavernosography
(kav″әr-no-sog´rә-fe) radiographic visualization of the corpus cavernosum of the penis. dynamic infusion cavernosography radiographic imaging of the corporal bodies and associated vasculature following infusion of contrast medium or saline solution directly into...

cavernosometry
(kav″әr-no-som´ә-tre) measurement of the vascular pressure in the corpus cavernosum. dynamic infusion cavernosometry a graphic representation of intracorporal vascular pressure as a function of infused volume.

cavernostomy
(kav″әr-nos´tә-me) operative incision into a cavity to allow drainage, such as the drainage of a pulmonary abscess.

cavernous
(kav´әr-nәs) pertaining to a hollow. cavitary.

cavernous angioma
cavernous hemangiomacavernous tumor a congenital vascular malformation that has a soft, spongy consistency and may contain a large amount of blood. It usually appears during the first few postnatal weeks and disappears by the age of 9 years. The most common sites are on the head, neck, and internal organs such as the liver...

cavernous nerves of clitoris
origin, uterovaginal plexus; distribution, erectile tissue of clitoris; modality, parasympathetic, sympathetic, and visceral afferent.

cavernous nerves of penis
origin, prostatic plexus; distribution, erectile tissue of penis; modality, sympathetic, parasympathetic, and visceral afferent.

cavernous sinus
either of two irregularly shaped venous sinuses of the dura mater, one on either side of the body of the sphenoid bone and communicating across the midline. Several cranial nerves course through this sinus.

cavernous sinus syndrome
edema of the conjunctiva, proptosis, edema of upper lid and root of the nose, together with paralysis of the third, fourth, and sixth cranial nerves and the ophthalmic branch of the fifth; it is usually due to thrombosis or tumor of the cavernous sinus. Cf. Tolosa-Hunt syndrome. Called also Foix syndrome.

cavernous veins of penis
veins that return the blood from the corpora cavernosa to the deep veins and the dorsal vein of the penis.

cavitary
(kav´ĭ-tar″e) characterized by presence of a cavity or cavities.

cavitas
(kav´ĭ-tәs) pl. cavita´tes Latin word meaning cavity (def. 1).

cavitation
(kav″ĭ-ta´shәn) cavity. the formation of cavities.

cavitis
(ka-vi´tis) inflammation of a vena cava.

cavity
(kav´ĭ-te) a hollow or space, or a potential space, within the body or one of its organs. Called also caverna and cavum. the lesion produced by dental caries.

cavity angles
the angles formed by the junction of two or more walls of a tooth cavity, named according to the walls participating in their formation.

cavity of septum pellucidum
the median cleft between the two laminae of the septum pellucidum; called also fifth ventricle.

cavography
(ka-vog´rә-fe) radiography of the vena cava.

cavosurface angle
the angle formed by the junction of a wall of a tooth cavity preparation and a surface of the crown of the tooth.

cavum
(ka´vәm) pl. ca´va Latin word meaning cavity (def. 1).

cavus
(ka´vәs) Latin word meaning hollow.

cayenne pepper spots
red angiomatous puncta within or on the border of the lesions of the chronic pigmented purpuras.

CBC
complete blood count.

Cbl
cobalamin.

cc
cubic centimeter.

CCK test
cholecystokinin test.

CCNU
lomustine.