Category: P

A type of mechanical ventilation in which tidal volumes are set to avoid overstretching the alveoli, and pressures at the end of an inhaled breath are set to avoid alveolar collapse.  

A type of assisted ventilation that supplements a spontaneous breath. The patient controls the frequency and the duration and flow of inspiration from the ventilator.  

Mechanical ventilatory support that applies positive pressure to the airway. The objectives include improving pulmonary gas exchange, relieving acute respiratory acidosis, relieving respiratory distress, preventing and reversing atelectasis, improving pulmonary compliance, preventing further lung injury, and avoiding complications. Positive pressure ventilation can be life saving, but complications such as toxic effects of oxygen, laryngeal injury,…

A vein that drains blood from the knee and joins the femoral vein.  

The percutaneous insertion of one or more balloons across a stenotic heart valve. Inflating the balloons decreases the constriction. This technique has been used to treat mitral and/or pulmonic stenosis.  

The prominent circular membranous fold at the pyloric orifice of the stomach. A valve located at the pyloric end of the stomach, designed to stop food from flowing back from the duodenum into the stomach. This valve can become enlarged and blocked in a condition known as pyloric stenosis.  

A substitute valve used to replace a diseased valve. There are two main types of prostheses: those made from biological tissues (e.g., the heart valves of animals, esp. pigs) and those made from biocompatible materials (e.g., metals or polymers). Biocompatible mechanical valves may be constructed in a variety of ways, e.g., from a ball that…

A vacuole present in the cytoplasm of a secretory cell that is filled with crystalloid material.  

A pneumococcal vaccine used for active immunization of infants and toddlers. The vaccine contains antigens from 7 capsular serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae.  

A vaccine that contains 23 of the known 83 pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides, and induces immunity against Streptococcus pneumoniae, a gram-positive bacterium that causes ear, sinus, lung, blood, and meningeal infections. This vaccine is used to prevent pneumococcal disease in persons with sickle cell diseases; alcoholism; asplenia; chronic heart, lung, liver, or kidney disease; diabetes mellitus;…