Category: R

A malignant tumour of fowls which is caused by a virus. This tumour has been the subject of much experimental work on the nature of cancer. A growth resembling cancer observed in certain birds. From this growth, a virus can be extracted. When introduced into other birds, this virus induces a similar cancer-like growth. Its…

The term applied to the heaps into which red blood corpuscles (erythrocytes) collect as seen under the microscope. In the domain of hematological abnormalities, there exists a phenomenon known as the aggregation of red blood cells. This occurrence occurs due to the presence of additional or abnormal proteins in the blood, which disrupt the regular…

A group of viruses (so-called because of their wheel-like structure: rota is Latin for wheel) which are a common cause of gastroenteritis in infants. They cause from 25 to 80 per cent of childhood diarrhoea in different parts of the world, and in the United Kingdom they are responsible for 60-65 per cent of cases.…

Also called root-canal therapy, this is the treatment given when the nerve of ta tooth has been exposed while the tooth is being prepared for a filling, or if it has died or become infected. The nerve debris is removed and, when  the chamber is clear of infection, an inert material is inserted to seal…

A term applied to marked unsteadiness when a person stands with the eyes shut. It is found as a symptom in some nervous diseases, such as peripheral neuropathy and tabes dorsalis. The tendency to fall from a standing position when the eyes are closed and the feet are close together.  

A developing area of practice in microsurgery where the surgeon, instead of manipulating surgical instruments him or herself, instead guides a robot which actually performs the surgery. Telerobotics involves manipulating a robot electronically at a distance. Various robotic procedures have been devised in heart and lung surgery, prostate gland surgery and orthopaedics, amongst others. The…

The term is used in two ways. Firstly, it may comprise a list of infants whose obstetric and/or perinatal history suggests they might be at risk of illness or serious abnormality such as learning disability.  

The periodic assessment of a doctor’s professional competence. Revalidation is due to begin in the UK in 2010, to ensure that those doctors on the Medical Register of the general medical council (GMC) as active practitioners are capable of providing appropriate standards of medical care. The process depends, amongst other things, upon the doctor being able…

A mock-humorous term used by doctors to imply that one can always see things more clearly after the event than at the time. One danger of making a judgement about the competence of a doctor treating a patient is that it is easier to know what was the right thing to have done once you…

An abscess occurring in the cellular tissue behind the throat (pharynx). It is the result in general of disease in the upper part of the spinal column.