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

cortisone
(kor´tĭ-sōn) a glucocorticoid with significant mineralocorticoid activity, isolated from the adrenal cortex, largely inactive in humans until it is converted to hydrocortisone (cortisol). Cortisone, as the acetate ester, is used as an antiinflammatory and immunosuppressant and for replacement therapy in adrenocortic...

Cortisporin
(kor″tĭ-spor´in) trademark for combination preparations of polymyxin b, neomycin sulfate, hydrocortisone, and (in some preparations) bacitracin zinc. Uses include topical preparations for dermatoses and ophthalmic and otic preparations for inflammatory conditions where there is actual or potential risk of bac...

corundum smelter's lung
bauxite pneumoconiosis.

coruscation
(kor″әs-ka´shәn) the sensation as of a flash of light before the eyes.

Corvisart disease
(kor″ve-sahr´) tetralogy of Fallot associated with right aortic arch. formerly, chronic hypertrophic myocarditis.

corymbiform
(ko-rim´bĭ-form) clustered; said of lesions grouped around a single, usually larger, lesion.

Corynebacterium
(ko-ri″ne-bak-tēr´e-әm) a genus of gram-positive, nonmotile, straight to slightly curved rod-shaped bacteria. It includes both pathogenic and nonpathogenic organisms, which are widely distributed in nature. Species include C. ac´nes, found in acne lesions; C. diphthe´riae, the etiologic agent of diphthe...

coryneform
(ko-ri´nә-form) club-shaped; denoting or resembling organisms of the family Corynebacteriaceae.

Corynespora
(kor″ĭ-nes´pә-rә) a widespread genus of imperfect fungi. C. cassi´cola is a cause of eumycotic mycetoma.

coryza
(ko-ri´zә) acute rhinitis.

coryza virus
rhinovirus.

Cosmegen
(koz´mә-jәn) trademark for a preparation of dactinomycin, an antitumor antibiotic.

cosmesis
(koz-me´sis) the preservation, restoration, or bestowing of bodily beauty. the surgical correction of a disfiguring physical defect.

cosmetic
(koz-met´ik) beautifying; tending to preserve, restore, or confer comeliness. a beautifying substance or preparation. pertaining to cosmesis.

cosmetic acne
contact acne on the chin and cheeks of persons using facial cosmetics.

cosmetic dermatitis
allergic contact dermatitis caused by an ingredient of a cosmetic preparation.

cosmetic operation
one intended to remove or correct a deformity in an esthetically acceptable manner.

cost effective
in the health sciences, pertaining to a situation in which funds spent to improve the health and well-being of a client or group reduces the overall cost of care. Increased productivity produces more output for the same input or produces the same output for less input.

costa
(kos´tә) Latin word meaning rib. adj., cos´tal., adj.

costal arch
the anterior portion of the thoracic outlet, consisting of the costal cartilages of ribs 7 to 10. Called also costal margin.

costal bone
costa.

costal cartilage
a bar of hyaline cartilage that attaches a rib to the sternum in the case of true ribs, or to the immediately above rib in the case of the upper false ribs.

costalgia
(kos-tal´jә) pain in the ribs. pain in the costal muscles; called also pleurodynia.

costectomy
(kos-tek´tә-me) excision of a rib.

Costen syndrome
(kos´tәn) a complex of symptoms including partial deafness, stuffiness in the ears, tinnitus, clicking or snapping of the temporomandibular joint, dizziness, headache, and burning pain in the ear, throat, tongue, and nose. Causes proposed include mandibular overclosure, lesions of the temporomandibular joint...

costimulator
(ko-stim´u-la″tәr) a molecule expressed on the surface of an antigen-presenting cell that provides a stimulus that is required in addition to antigen for activation of helper T cells.

costocervical
(kos″to-sur´vĭ-kәl) pertaining to the ribs and neck.

costocervical trunk
a vessel arising from the subclavian artery; giving rise to the deep cervical and highest intercostal arteries; and supplying the first two intercostal spaces, vertebral column, back muscles, and deep neck muscles.

costochondral
(kos″to-kon´drәl) pertaining to a rib and its cartilage.

costoclavicular
(kos″to-klә-vik´u-lәr) pertaining to the ribs and clavicle.

costoclavicular syndrome
a thoracic outlet syndrome caused by compression or friction on nerves and blood vessels between a drooping clavicle and the first rib.

costocoracoid
(kos″to-kor´ә-koid) pertaining to the ribs and coracoid process.

costosternal
(kos″to-stur´nәl) pertaining to the ribs and sternum.

costosternoplasty
(kos″to-stur´no-plas″te) surgical repair of funnel chest, a segment of rib being used to support the sternum.

costotomy
(kos-tot´ә-me) incision or division of a rib or costal cartilage.

costotransverse
(kos″to-trans-vәrs´) lying between the ribs and the transverse processes of the vertebrae.

costotransverse ligament
three ligaments (lateral, middle, and superior) that connect the neck of a rib to the transverse process of a vertebra.

costovertebral
(kos″to-vur´tә-brәl) pertaining to a rib and a vertebra.

costovertebral angle
the angle formed on either side of the spinal column between the last rib and the lumbar vertebrae.

costoxiphoid
(kos″to-zi´foid) connecting the ribs and xiphoid cartilage.

cosyntropin
(ko″sin-tro´pin) a synthetic corticotropin used in the screening of adrenal insufficiency on the basis of plasma cortisol response after intramuscular or intravenous injection.

cot death
crib death sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

COTA
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.

Cotard syndrome
(ko-tahr´) paranoia with delusions of negation, a suicidal tendency, and sensory disturbances.

cotransduction
(ko″trans-duk´shәn) simultaneous transduction of two or more genes, indicating close linkage of the genes on the transduced element.

cotransfection
(ko″trans-fek´shәn) simultaneous transfection of two or more physically unlinked DNA fragments into eukaryotic target cells; generally one of the fragments contains a gene that is easily assayed and acts as a marker.

cotransport
(ko-trans´port) linking of the transport of one substance across a membrane with the simultaneous transport of a different substance in the same direction. See also countertransport.

Cotte operation
(kot) removal of the presacral nerve.

cotton
(kot´әn) a plant of the genus Gossypium. a textile material derived from the seeds of this plant. absorbable cotton oxidized cellulose. absorbent cotton , purified cotton cotton freed from impurities, bleached, and steri...

cotton-mill fever
mill fever (def. 1). byssinosis.

cotton-wool spots
white or gray soft-edged opacities in the retina composed of cytoid bodies; seen in hypertensive retinopathy, lupus erythematosus, and numerous other conditions.

cottonmouth
(kot´әn-mouth) water moccasin.

cottonseed oil
a fixed oil from seeds of cultivated varieties of the cotton plant (Gossypium); used as a solvent and vehicle for drugs.

Cotugno disease
(ko-toon´yō) sciatica.

cotyledon
(kot″ә-le´don) any subdivision of the uterine surface of the placenta. irregular convex areas on the chorionic surface of the placenta, consisting of two or more stem villi and their many branch villi; by the end of the fourth month the decidua basalis is almost entirely replaced by the cotyled...

cotyloid foramen
a passage between the margin of the acetabulum and the transverse ligament.

cotyloid ligament
a ring of fibrocartilage connected with the rim of the acetabulum.

cough
(kawf) a sudden noisy expulsion of air from the lungs; called also tussis. to produce such an expulsion of air.

cough reflex
the sequence of events initiated by the sensitivity of the lining of the airways and mediated by the medulla oblongata as a consequence of impulses transmitted by the vagus nerve; the result is coughing, which is an effort to clear the passageways of foreign matter.

coughing
(kawf´ing) the production of coughs. assisted coughing a technique used to enhance the effectiveness of coughing for individuals such as quadriplegics who have ineffective diaphragmatic movement. The hands of the person assisting are placed on either side of the rib cage or on th...

coughing center
a nerve center in the medulla oblongata, situated above the respiratory center; it controls the act of coughing.

coughing sign
Huntington sign.

coulomb
(C) (koo´lom) the SI unit of electric charge, defined as the quantity of electrical charge transferred across a surface by 1 ampere in 1 second.

Coumadin
(koo´mә-din) trademark for preparations of warfarin sodium, an anticoagulant.

coumarin
(koo´mә-rin) a principle extracted from the tonka bean, from which several anticoagulants are derived that inhibit hepatic synthesis of vitamin K–dependent coagulation factors. any of these derivatives.

Councilman bodies
apoptotic bodies of hepatocellular origin seen in viral hepatitis, yellow fever, and other hepatic diseases.

counselor
(koun´sәl-әr) one who gives advice or instruction. vocational counselor a professional who assists disabled individuals in assessing their strengths and weaknesses and selecting jobs or careers that maximize their potential to become contributing members of the workfo...

count
(kount) a numerical computation or indication.

counter
(koun´tәr) an instrument or apparatus by which numerical value is computed; in radiology, a device for enumerating ionizing events. Coulter counter an automated instrument for performing blood counts, based on the principle that cells are poor electrical conductors compared with sal...

countercurrent
(koun´tәr-kur″әnt) flowing in an opposite direction.

counterelectrophoresis
(koun″tәr-e-lek″tro-fә-re´sis) counterimmunoelectrophoresis.

counterextension
(koun″tәr-eks-ten´shәn) traction in a proximal direction coincident with traction in opposition to it.

counterimmunoelectrophoresis
(CIE) (koun″tәr-im″u-no-e-lek″tro-fә-re´sis) a laboratory technique in which an electric current is used to accelerate the migration of antibody and antigen through a buffered diffusion medium. Antigens in a gel medium in which the pH is controlled are strongly negatively c...

counterincision
(koun″tәr-in-sĭ´zhәn) a second incision made to promote drainage or to relieve tension on the edges of a wound.

counterirritant
(koun″tәr-ir´ĭ-tәnt) producing counterirritation. an agent that so acts.

counteropening
(koun″tәr-o´pәn-ing) contra-aperture.

counterpulsation
(koun″tәr-pәl-sa´shәn) a technique for assisting the circulation and decreasing the work of the heart by synchronizing the force of an external pumping device with cardiac systole and diastole. intra-aortic balloon (IAB) counterpulsation circulatory support provid...

counterpuncture
(koun″tәr-punk´chәr) counteropening.

countershock
(koun´tәr-shok″) a high-intensity direct current shock delivered to the heart to interrupt ventricular fibrillation and restore synchronous electrical activity.

counterstain
(koun´tәr-stān″) a stain applied to render the effects of another stain more discernible.

countertraction
(koun″tәr-trak´shәn) traction opposed to traction; used in reduction of fractures. Countertraction.

countertransference
(koun″tәr-trans-fur´әns) a transference reaction of a psychoanalyst or other psychotherapist to a patient; that is, an emotional reaction that is generally a reflection of the therapist's own inner needs and conflicts but also may be a reaction to the client's behavior.

countertransport
(koun″tәr-trans´port) the simultaneous transport of two substances across a membrane in opposite directions, either by the same carrier or by different carriers that are biochemically linked to each other. See also cotransport.

counting cell
hemacytometer.

counting chamber
the part of a hemacytometer consisting of a microscopic slide with a depression whose base is marked in grids, and into which a measured volume of a sample of blood or bacterial culture is placed and covered with a cover glass. The number of cells and formed blood elements in the squares is counted under a microscope and ...

coup
(koo) French word meaning a blow or attack. coup de sabre (dә sahb´) linear scleroderma on the forehead or scalp, so-called because of its resemblance to the scar of a saber wound.

coupled rhythm
heart beats occurring in pairs, the second beat of the pair usually being a ventricular premature beat.

couples therapy
marital therapy.

coupling
(kup´ling) the joining together of two things. in genetics, the occurrence on the same chromosome in a double heterozygote of the two mutant alleles of interest. in cardiology, serial occurrence of a normal heartbeat followed closely by a premature beat.

coupling interval
the distance between two linked events in the cardiac cycle.

Cournand catheter
a cardiac catheter with a single end hole; used for pressure measurement, usually in the right heart.

Courvoisier sign
severe jaundice with a palpable, nontender gallbladder, indicating obstruction of biliary passages from something other than a gallstone, possibly a tumor.

Courvoisier-Terrier syndrome
(koor-vwah″sya´ ter-ya´) dilatation of the gallbladder, retention jaundice, and discoloration of the feces, indicating obstruction due to a tumor of the ampulla of Vater.

Cova point
a point at the apex of the costolumbar angle which is tender on pressure in cases of pyelitis of pregnancy.

covalence
(ko-va´lәns) the number of electron pairs an atom can share with other atoms. one or more chemical bonds formed by sharing of electron pairs between atoms. adj., cova´lent., adj.

covalent bond
a chemical bond between two atoms or radicals formed by the sharing of a pair (single bond), two pairs (double bond), or three pairs of electrons (triple bond).

covariance
(ko-vār´e-әns) a measure of the tendency of two random variables to vary together. It is the expected value of the product of the deviations of corresponding values of two random variables from their respective means.

cover cell
any cell that covers and protects other cells, especially any long epithelial cell of the outer layer of the taste buds; called also encasing or incasing cell.

cover test
see alternate cover test and cover-uncover test.

cover-uncover test
a test for determining the type of phoria, by covering one eye and noting its movement as it is uncovered.