| LES | <anatomy> A muscular sphincter located at the junction of the oesophagus and the stomach. On closure the lower oesophageal sphincter prevents the back wash (reflux) of stomach acid into the oesophagus where it may damage the mucosa. See: gastrooesophageal reflux disease. (16 Mar 1998) |
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| lesbian | Female homosexual. The name lesbian comes from the greek island of lesbos in the aegian sea where in antiquity the women were said to be homosexual. The poet sappho who lived on lesbos (circa 600 bc) was a lesbian in both geographic location and sexual orientation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| lesbianism | Female homosexuality. Also called sapphism (after the lesbian poet sappho). (12 Dec 1998) |
| Lesch, Michael | <person> U.S. Paediatrician, *1939. See: Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Lesch-Nyhan disease | <syndrome> A sex-linked recessive inherited disease in humans that results from mutation in the gene for the purine salvage enzyme hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT), located on the X chromosome. Results in severe mental retardation. It is characterised by physical and mental retardation, and distressing behavioural abnormalities, such as compulsive self mutilation, hyperuricaemia, and choreoathetosis, and renal failure. Excess uric acid production exists due to the absence of an enzyme essential to purine metabolism. Inheritance: sex-linked recessive. (22 Sep 2002) |
| Lesch-Nyhan syndrome | <syndrome> A sex-linked recessive inherited disease in humans that results from mutation in the gene for the purine salvage enzyme hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT), located on the X chromosome. Results in severe mental retardation. It is characterised by physical and mental retardation, and distressing behavioural abnormalities, such as compulsive self mutilation, hyperuricaemia, and choreoathetosis, and renal failure. Excess uric acid production exists due to the absence of an enzyme essential to purine metabolism. Inheritance: sex-linked recessive. (22 Sep 2002) |
| Leser, Edmund | <person> German surgeon. Lived: 1828-1916. See: Leser-Trelat sign. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Leser-Trelat sign | <clinical sign> The sudden appearance and rapid increase in the number and size of seborrheic keratoses with pruritus; associated with internal malignancy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| lesion | <pathology> Any pathological or traumatic discontinuity of tissue or loss of function of a part. Origin: L. Laesio, laedere = to hurt (18 Nov 1997) |
| lesotho | A kingdom in southern africa, an enclave lying within the republic of south africa. Its capital is maseru. It was mostly uninhabited before 1800. In the early 19th century it had many disputes with the boers. First receiving british protection in 1843, it was annexed in 1868 and made part of cape colony in 1871. It became a british colony in 1884 and gained independence in 1966. Sotho is the name of the indigenous people, probably meaning black. The plural is basotho which gave the former name basutoland. (12 Dec 1998) |
| lesser alar cartilages | The two to four cartilaginous plates of the wing of the nose posterior to the greater alar cartilage. Synonym: cartilagines alares minores, accessory quadrate cartilage. (05 Mar 2000) |
| lesser arterial circle of iris | An arterial circle near the pupillary margin of the iris. Synonym: circulus arteriosus iridis minor. (05 Mar 2000) |
| lesser circulation | The circulation of blood through the lungs. (12 Dec 1998) |
| lesser cul-de-sac | The initial portion of the pyloric part of the stomach, which may temporarily become partially or completely shut off from the remainder of the stomach during digestion by peristaltic contraction of the prepyloric "sphincter"; it is demarcated, sometimes, from the second part of the pyloric part of the stomach (pyloric canal) by a slight groove. Synonym: antrum pyloricum, antrum, lesser cul-de-sac. (05 Mar 2000) |
| lesser curvature of stomach | The right border of the stomach to which the lesser omentum is attached. Synonym: curvatura ventriculi minor. (05 Mar 2000) |