Glossary

Category: A

  • Fibrous dysplasia

    A developmental abnormality in which changes occur in bony tissue, resulting in aching and a tendency to pathological fracture. In monostotic fibrous dysplasia one bone is affected; polyostotic fibrous dysplasia involves many bones. A rare disease in which areas of bone are replaced by fibrous tissue, rendering the bone fragile and liable to fracture. It…

  • Dolor

    One of the classical signs of inflammation in a tissue, the other three being calor (heat), rubor (redness), and tumor (swelling). The pain in inflammation is thought to be due to the release of chemicals from damaged cells. This is one of the principal indications of inflammation. The others are rubor (redness), tumor (swelling), functio…

  • Dental appliance

    Any of various structures designed to move and hold irregularly formed teeth into the correct position. A removable appliance has springs and clasps of various forms to move teeth into the correct position. A fixed appliance is made up of springs and bands cemented to the teeth to move them into the correct position. Begg,…

  • Azygos vein

    An unpaired vein that arises from the inferior vena cava and drains into the superior vena cava, returning blood from the thorax and abdominal cavities. A single vein arising in the abdomen as a branch of the ascending lumbar vein. It passes upward through the aortic hiatus of the diaphragm into the thorax, then along…

  • Azapetine

    A short-acting drug that relieves spasm of small arteries and capillaries and improves the blood flow to the skin. Its effects and uses are similar to those of tolazoline.  

  • Axoplasm

    The semifluid material of which the axon of a nerve cell is composed. It flows slowly out ward from the cell body. The cytoplasm (neuroplasm) of an axon that encloses the neurofibrils.  

  • Auxiliaries

    Persons who volunteer their services for part-time tasks at hospitals, such as folding bandages or escorting patients. Teenage girls who work as auxiliaries are sometimes identified as candy stripers because of the colorful striped uniforms they wear.  

  • Autovaccine

    A vaccine prepared by isolating specimens of bacteria from an infected patient, culturing them, and killing them. By injecting this vaccine back into the patient, it was hoped that the body’s resistance to the infection would be stimulated. Although such vaccines were once much  favored for the treatment of boils, there is no good evidence…

  • Autosuggestion

    Self-suggestion or self-conditioning that involves repeating ideas to oneself in order to change psychological or physiological states. Autosuggestion is used primarily in autogenic training, a technique used to help patients control their anxiety or their habits. The acceptance of an idea or thought arising from within one’s own mind, bringing about some physical or mental…

  • Autoploidy

    The normal condition in cells or individuals, in which each cell has a chromosome set consisting of homologous pairs, which allows cell division to occur in a normal manner.