| shun | To avoid; to keep clear of; to get out of the way of; to escape from; to eschew; as, to shun rocks, shoals, vice. "I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God." (Acts xx. 26,27) "Scarcity and want shall shun you." (Shak) Synonym: See Avoid. Origin: OE. Shunien, schunien, schonien, AS. Scunian, sceonian; cf. D. Schuinen to slepe, schuin oblique, sloping, Icel. Skunda, skynda, to hasten. Cf. Schooner, Scoundrel, Shunt. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| shunt | 1. To turn to one side, to divert, to bypass. 2. <cardiology> A passage or anastomosis between two natural channels, especially between blood vessels. Such structures may be formed physiologically (for example to bypass a thrombosis) or they may be structural anomalies. 3. <surgery> A surgically created anastomosis, also, the operation of forming a shunt. (18 Nov 1997) |
| shunt, left to right | A term used to describe the diversion of blood from the higher pressure left side of the heart to the right side (pulmonary circuit). Can be seen in ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus (congenital at birth). (27 Sep 1997) |
| shunt, right to left | <cardiology> A term used to describe the diversion of blood from the right side of the heart to the left. Long standing left to right shunts can lead to increased right sided pressures in the pulmonary circuit (pulmonary hypertension). Eventually the left to right shunt reverses and blood flows from the right to the left. Can be seen in large untreated ventricular septal defect or atrial septal defect. (27 Sep 1997) |