| edema | <clinical sign> The presence of abnormally large amounts of fluid in the intercellular tissue spaces of the body, usually applied to demonstrable accumulation of excessive fluid in the subcutaneous tissues. Oedema may be localised, due to venous or lymphatic obstruction or to increased vascular permeability or it may be systemic due to heart failure or renal disease. Collections of oedema fluid are designated according to the site, for example ascites (peritoneal cavity), hydrothorax (pleural cavity) and hydropericardium (pericardial sac). Massive generalised oedema is called anasarca. Origin: Gr. Oide ma = swelling (18 Nov 1997) |
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| edema, cardiac | A manifestation of congestive heart failure caused by increased venous and capillary pressures and often associated with the retention of sodium by the kidneys. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Willis' centrum nervosum | The largest and highest group of prevertebral sympathetic ganglia, located on the superior part of the abdominal aorta, on either side of the origin of the coeliac artery; contains sympathetic neurons whose unmyelinated postganglionic axons innervate the stomach, liver, gallbladder, spleen, kidney, small intestine, and ascending and transverse colon. H Synonym: ganglia coeliaca, semilunar ganglion, solar ganglia, Vieussens' ganglia, Willis' centrum nervosum. (05 Mar 2000) |
| systema nervosum | The entire integrated system of nerve tissue in the body: the brain, brainstem, spinal cord, nerves and ganglia. (16 Dec 1997) |
| systema nervosum autonomicum | An alternate term for autonomic nervous system. (05 Mar 2000) |
| systema nervosum centrale | An alternate term for central nervous system, central nervous system. (05 Mar 2000) |
| systema nervosum periphericum | An alternate term for peripheral nervous system. (05 Mar 2000) |