Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

  • Dysphasia

    Impairment of speech resulting from a brain lesion. Difficulty in speaking, usually caused by a lesion in the central nervous system. Difficulty in speaking and putting words into the correct order. A kind of communication disorder, involving inability to speak the words in one’s mind or to find the correct words to speak, as well…

  • Ductus arteriosus

    Connection between the aorta and the pulmonary artery in the fetus; it allows most of the blood pumped by the left ventricle to bypass the lungs (which do not function in the fetus) and enter the systemic circulation. In some infants, the connection persists after birth; the condition is known as patent ductus arteriosus. A…

  • Decompensate

    Inability to maintain defense mechanisms in response to stress, resulting in personality disturbance or psychological imbalance.  

  • Cystectomy

    Removal of a cyst. Excision of the cystic duct and the gallbladder. Excision of all or part of the urinary bladder. A surgical operation to remove all or part of the urinary bladder. Surgical removal of the bladder. Bladder cancer, which invades the muscular bladder wall, is the most common reason for cystectomy. In men,…

  • Cyanosis

    Bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes due to an increased proportion of unoxygenated hemoglobin in the blood. Bluish appearance of the skin and mucous membrane that usually indicates reduced hemoglobin levels in the blood. The presence of a blueness of the skin, especially the lips, caused by an insufficient supply of oxygen in…

  • Craniotomy

    Craniotomy

    Surgical incision through the cranium. Incision into the skull, usually to relieve pressure, to remove a lesion, or to control bleeding. A surgical opening made into the skull for the purpose of obtaining surgical access to the brain. A surgical operation on the skull, especially one cutting away part of the skull. Surgical opening into…

  • Cordotomy

    Surgical division of one or more of the lateral nerve pathways emerging from the spinal cord to relieve pain. An operation performed to divide bundles of nerve fibers within the spinal cord. Cordotomy is done to relieve persistent pain that has failed to respond to other measures, such as strong analgesic medication or tens (transcutaneous…

  • Conization

    Surgical removal of a cone of tissue, such as excision of cervical tissue for microscopic examination. Removal of a conical piece of tissue. Surgical removal of a cone of tissue. The technique is commonly used in excising a portion of the cervix (neck) of the womb. Cone biopsy refers to the surgical procedure of removing…

  • Comedo

    Plug of dried, discolored fatty matter clogging a pore of the skin; commonly called a black-head. A blackhead, as seen in acne. A small point of dark, hard matter in a sebaceous follicle, often found associated with acne on the skin of adolescents. Comedones, accumulation, in a hair follicle or oil gland, of dead cells…

  • Coitus

    Sexual union of a man and a woman in which the penis is inserted into the vagina, usually accompanied by excitement and often orgasm and ejaculation; also called intercourse; sexual intercourse. The sexual union of two people of the opposite sex, in which the man’s penis enters the woman’s vagina. Sexual intercourse between a man…

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