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

clinical medicine
the study of disease by direct examination of the living patient. the last two years of the usual curriculum in a medical college.

clinical pathology
pathology applied to the solution of clinical problems, especially the use of laboratory methods in clinical diagnosis.

clinical psychology
the use of psychologic knowledge and techniques in the treatment of persons with emotional difficulties.

clinical thermometer
one used to determine the temperature of the human body.

clinical trial
an experiment performed on human beings in order to evaluate the comparative efficacy of two or more therapies. See also single blind, double blind, and triple blind.

clinically severe obesity
morbid obesity.

clinicopathologic
(klin″ĭ-ko-path″ә-loj´ik) pertaining to both symptoms of disease and to its pathology.

Clinistix
(klin´ĭ-stiks) trademark for glucose oxidase reagent strips used to test for glucose in urine. The strip is dipped into the urine and positive or negative results are indicated by the color of the strip.

Clinitest
(klin´ĭ-test) trademark for alkaline copper sulfate reagent tablets used to test for reducing substances, such as sugars, in urine. The practice of periodic testing of urine for sugar in diabetic patients has been supplanted by blood glucose monitoring, which is far more accurate.

Clinitron bed
fluidized air bed.

clinocephaly
(kli″no-sef´ә-le) congenital flatness or concavity of the vertex of the head.

clinodactyly
(kli″no-dak´tә-le) permanent deviation or deflection of one or more fingers, as seen in trisomy 18 syndrome.

clinoid process
any of three processes of the sphenoid bone (anterior, medial, and posterior).

Clinoril
(klin´ә-ril) trademark for a preparation of sulindac, a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug.

clip
(klip) a device for approximating the edges of a wound or for the prevention of bleeding from small individual blood vessels.

clition
(klit´e-on) the midpoint of the anterior border of the clivus.

clitorectomy
(klit″ә-rek´tә-me) clitoridectomy.

clitoridectomy
(klit″ә-rĭ-dek´tә-me) excision of the clitoris.

clitoriditis
(klit″ә-rĭ-di´tis) clitoritis.

clitoridotomy
(klit″ә-rĭ-dot´ә-me) incision of the clitoris.

clitorimegaly
(klit″ә-rĭ-meg´ә-le) enlargement of the clitoris.

clitoris
(klit´ә-ris) (kli´tә-ris) (klĭ-tor´is) the small, elongated, erectile body in the female, situated at the anterior angle of the rima pudendi. See also vulva.

clitorism
(klit´ә-riz″әm) (kli´tә-riz″әm) hypertrophy of the clitoris. persistent erection of the clitoris.

clitoritis
(klit″ә-ri´tis) (kli″tә-ri´tis) inflammation of the clitoris.

clitoromegaly
(klit″ә-ro-meg´ә-le) clitorimegaly.

clitoroplasty
(klit´ә-ro-plas″te) plastic surgery of the clitoris.

clivography
(kli-vog´rә-fe) radiographic visualization of the clivus, or posterior cranial fossa.

clivus
(kli´vәs) a bony surface in the surface of the posterior cranial fossa sloping upward from the foramen magnum to the dorsum sellae.

cloaca
(klo-a´kә) pl. cloa´cae a common passage for fecal, urinary, and reproductive discharge in most lower vertebrates. in mammalian embryos, the terminal end of the hindgut before division into rectum, bladder, and the primordia of the reproductive organs. an opening in the covering or sheath of a...

cloacogenic
(klo″ә-ko-jen´ik) originating from the cloaca or from persisting cloacal remnants, such as basaloid carcinoma.

cloacogenic anal carcinoma
basaloid carcinoma (def. 2).

clobetasol
(klo-ba´tә-sol) a synthetic corticosteroid used topically as the salt for the relief of inflammation and pruritus in corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses.

clocortolone
(klo-cor´to-lōn) a synthetic corticosteroid used topically as the pivalate ester in the treatment of the inflammatory manifestations of corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses.

Cloderm
(klo´derm) trademark for a preparation of clocortolone pivalate, a synthetic glucocorticoid used in topical treatment of dermatoses.

clofazimine
(klo-faz´ĭ-mēn) an antibacterial effective against Mycobacterium species, including Mycobacterium leprae.

clofibrate
(klo-fi´brāt) an agent used to reduce elevated serum lipids in treatment of hyperlipoproteinemia, administered orally.

clomiphene
(klo´mĭ-fēn) a nonsteroid estrogen analogue used as the citrate salt to stimulate ovulation.

clomiphene citrate challenge test
(for female factor infertility) a woman's blood levels of follicle-stimulating hormone are measured on the third day of her menstrual cycle and she takes clomiphene citrate on days 5 through 9. If her levels of follicle-stimulating hormone are elevated on day 10, she probably has a diminished ovarian reserve.

clomipramine
(klo-mip´rә-mēn) a tricyclic antidepressant with anxiolytic activity; besides its antidepressant uses, it is also used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, bulimia nervosa, cataplexy associated with narcolepsy, and chronic, severe pain; used as the hydrochloride salt.

clonal-selection theory of immunity
immunologic specificity is preformed during embryonic life and mediated through cell clones.

clonality
(klo-nal´ĭ-te) the ability to be cloned.

clonazepam
(klo-naz´ә-pam) a benzodiazepine used as an oral anticonvulsant; also used as an antipanic agent in the treatment of panic disorders.

clone
(klōn) one of a group of genetically identical (barring mutation) cells or organisms derived asexually from a single common ancestor. a DNA population derived from a single molecule by recombinant DNA technology. adj., clo´nal., adj. to establish or produce such a progeny or populatio...

clonic
(klon´ik) pertaining to or characterized by clonus.

clonic contraction
clonus.

clonic seizure
one marked by alternating contracting and relaxing of the muscles; see also generalized tonic-clonic seizure.

clonic spasm
a spasm consisting of clonic contractions (clonus); contraction and relaxation of the muscle alternate. This is the most common type of spasm and usually is not severe. A typical clonic spasm is the hiccup.

clonicity
(klo-nis´ĭ-te) the condition of being clonic.

clonicotonic
(klon″ĭ-ko-ton´ik) both clonic and tonic.

clonidine
(klo´nĭ-dēn) a centrally acting antihypertensive agent, administered orally as the hydrochloride salt; also used to treat migraine, dysmenorrhea, opioid withdrawal, vasomotor symptoms of menopause, and cancer-associated pain.

cloning
(klōn´ing) the formation of a clone. DNA cloning in genetics, the production of many identical copies of a specific DNA fragment.

clonism
(klon´iz-әm) a succession of clonic spasms.

clonogenic
(klo″no-jen´ik) giving rise to a clone of cells.

clonorchiasis
(klo″nor-ki´ә-sis) infection of the biliary passages with the liver flukeClonorchis sinensis, which may lead to inflammation of the biliary tree, proliferation of the biliary epithelium, and progressive portal fibrosis; extension into the liver parenchyma may lead to fatty changes and cirrhosis.

Clonorchis
(klo-nor´kis) a genus of flukes. C. sinen´sis is a liver fluke that causes clonorchiasis throughout eastern Asia from Vietnam to Korea.

clonospasm
(klon´o-spaz″әm) clonic spasm; see spasm.

clonus
(klo´nәs) alternate involuntary muscular contraction and relaxation in rapid succession. a continuous rhythmic reflex tremor initiated by the spinal cord below an area of spinal cord injury, set in motion by reflex testing. ankle clonus , foot clonus ...

clopidogrel
(klo-pid´ah-grel) an inhibitor of platelet aggregation, used in the form of the bisulfate salt to prevent formation of thrombi and prevent myocardial infarction, stroke, and vascular death in patients with atherosclerosis; administered orally.

Cloquet hernia
pectineal hernia.

clorazepate
(klor-az´ә-pāt) a benzodiazepine compound used as the dipotassium salt as an antianxiety agent, anticonvulsant, and for the treatment of acute alcohol withdrawal symptoms; administered orally.

closed amputation
amputation in which flaps are made from skin and subcutaneous tissue and sutured over the bone end of the stump; called also flap amputation.

closed chain
several atoms linked together so as to form a ring, which may be saturated, as in cyclopentane, or aromatic, as in benzene. See illustration at chain.

closed circuit anesthesia
that produced by continuous rebreathing of a small amount of anesthetic gas in a closed system with an apparatus for removing carbon dioxide.

closed drainage
airtight or water-tight drainage of a cavity so that air or contaminants cannot enter; for example, drainage of an empyema cavity carried out by means of an intercostal drainage tube passing into an airtight receiving vessel.

closed end-hole catheter
one lacking a hole in its tip; used for rapid injection of large volumes of contrast solution. Cf. end-hole catheter.

closed fracture
one that does not produce an open wound, as opposed to an open fracture. Called also simple fracture.

closed head syndrome
the complex of symptoms characteristic of cerebral injury without cranial penetration. See also concussion and postconcussional syndrome.

closed loop
a system in which the input to one or more of the subsystems is affected by its own output.

closed loop reflex
a reflex, such as a stretch reflex, in which the stimulus (such as muscle stretch) decreases when it receives feedback from the response mechanism.

closed-angle glaucoma
angle-closure glaucoma.

closing capacity
(CC) the volume of gas in the lungs at the time of airway closure, the sum of the closing volume and the residual volume. See also closing volume.

closing volume
(CV) the difference between the closing capacity and the residual volume; this is the volume of gas in the lungs in excess of the residual volume at the time when small airways in the lower portions of the lungs close during maximal exhalation. It can be measured by the single breath nitrogen washout test. It norm...

clostridial toxin
any toxin elaborated by species of Clostridium, including those causing botulism (botulinus toxin), gas gangrene (gas gangrene toxin), and tetanus (tetanus toxin). In addition, C. difficile produces an exotoxin that causes severe intestinal necrosis and C. perfringens produces toxins that cause gas gangrene, intestinal necrosis, dama...

Clostridium
(klos-trid´e-әm) a genus of gram-positive, obligate anaerobic or microaerophilic, spore-forming, rod-shaped bacteria. Several species cause gas gangrene, including Clostridium bifermen´tans, Clostridium histioly´ticum, Clostridium no´vyi, Clostridium perfrin´gens (the most common cause), and Clostridium sep´ticum....

clostridium
(klos-trid´e-әm) pl. clostri´dia an individual bacterium of the genus Clostridium.

closure
(klo´zhәr) occlusion. obstruction. delayed primary closure the surgical closing of a wound several days after the injury because the wound was initially too contaminated to close; called also healing by third intention. Vacuum Assisted Closure(V...

clot
(klot) a semisolidified mass, as of blood or lymph; called also coagulum. coagulate. See also clotting. blood clot one in the bloodstream formed of an aggregation of blood factors, primarily platelets, and fibrin with entrapment of cellular elements; see also thrombus. Some ...

clotrimazole
(klo-trim´ә-zōl) a synthetic broad-spectrum antifungal agent applied topically to the skin in the treatment of candidiasis and various forms of tinea, and administered intravaginally in the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis and orally in the prevention and treatment of candidiasis of the mouth and throat.

clotting
(klot´ing) formation of a jellylike substance over the ends or within the walls of a blood vessel, with resultant stoppage of the blood flow; this is one of the natural defense mechanisms of the body when injury occurs. A clot will usually form within 5 minutes after a blood vessel wall has been damaged. Called also coagulati...

clotting factors
coagulation factors.

clotting time
coagulation time the time required for blood to clot in a glass tube; see also clotting.

clouding of consciousness
a disturbance of consciousness in which a patient cannot think clearly and has difficulty paying attention to what is happening or what is being said. Clouding of consciousness may occur in organic disease that affects the oxygenation and metabolism of the brain, as well as in psychogenic disorders.

Clouston syndrome
(klou´ston) hidrotic ectodermal dysplasia.

clove oil
(klōv) a volatile oil from cloves (dried flowerbuds of Syzygium aromaticum); used as a flavoring agent and as a topical germicide and analgesic in dentistry.

cloverleaf skull syndrome
kleeblattschädel syndrome.

cloxacillin
(klok″sә-sil´in) a semisynthetic penicillin; its sodium salt is used in treating staphylococcal infections due to penicillinase-positive organisms.

clozapine
(klo´zә-pēn) a sedative and antipsychotic agent of the dibenzodiazepine group; used in the treatment of schizophrenia.

club hair
one whose root is surrounded by a bulbous enlargement of keratinized cells, prior to normal loss of the hair from the follicle.

clubbed finger
one affected by clubbing.

clubbed penis
penile curvature.

clubbing
(klub´ing) bulbous swelling of the terminal phalanges of the fingers and toes, giving them a “club” appearance; the normal 160° angle between the nailbed and the digit increases to 180°. It may be an early stage of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, or it may be without subsequent changes in the long bones...

clubfoot
(klub´foot) a congenitally twisted foot; see talipes. talipes equinovarus.

clubhand
(klub´hand) a deformity of the hand due to congenital absence of the radius or ulna so that the hand is twisted out of shape or position; called also talipomanus. Radial clubhand; note absence of radius.

clump cells
round, thick, pigmented cells seen in the sphincter muscle of the iris.

clumping
(klump´ing) the aggregation of particles, such as bacteria or other cells, into irregular masses. See also agglutination.

cluneal
(kloo´ne-әl) gluteal.

clunes
(kloo´nēz) sing. clu´nis Latin word meaning buttocks.

cluster
(klus´tәr) a group of similar objects, events, or other elements in close proximity. suicide cluster a group of suicides in which one seems to set off others.

cluster headache
a migraine-like disorder marked by attacks of unilateral intense pain over the eye and forehead, with flushing and watering of the eyes and nose; attacks last about an hour and occur in clusters.

cluster sample
a variation of a random sample in which the population is divided into groups on the basis of some shared characteristic (such as hospitals grouped by geographic region) and a random sample is drawn from each group.