Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

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.  

Research misconduct is defined as behaviour by a researcher that falls short of accepted ethical and scientific standards whether or not this be intentional. For example, the same data may be sent for publication to more than one medical journal, which might have the effect of their being counted twice in any meta-analysis or systematic…

Also called recovered memory syndrome, this controversial concept emerged in the USA, and was picked up later by some experts in the UK. It holds that abused children sometimes suppress their unpleasant memories, and that subsequent psychotherapy could help them recover these memories thus possibly aiding rehabilitation. This recall of ‘repressed’ memories, however, is believed…

This organization consists of marriage guidance councils throughout the UK, with over 2,000 counsellors. These councils are affiliated to Relate Marriage Guidance, which is responsible for the selection, training and continued supervision of all counsellors. Anyone seeking help can telephone or write for an appointment. No fees are charged, but those receiving help are encouraged…

Professional staff working in health care are registered with and regulated by several statutory bodies: doctors by the general medical council (GMC); dentists by the general dental council; nurses and midwives by the Nursing and Midwifery Council; and pharmacists by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. The General Osteopathic Council regulates osteopaths, and the Health Professions Council…

A branch of the vagus nerve which leaves the latter low down in its course, and hooking around the right subclavian artery on the right side and round the arch of the aorta on the left runs up again into the neck, where it enters the larynx and supplies branches to the muscles which control…