| respiratory distress syndrome, adult | A syndrome of life-threatening progressive pulmonary insufficiency in the absence of known pulmonary disease, usually following a systemic insult such as surgery or major trauma. (12 Dec 1998) |
|---|---|
| cisternal puncture | Passage of a hollow needle through the posterior atlantooccipital membrane into the cisterna cerebellomedullaris. (05 Mar 2000) |
| coeliac disease, adult | See Coeliac sprue. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Salah's sternal puncture needle | A wide-bore needle for obtaining samples of red marrow from the sternum. (05 Mar 2000) |
| puncture | 1. The act of piercing or penetrating with a pointed object or instrument. 2. <surgery> A wound so made. Origin: L. Punctura (18 Nov 1997) |
| puncture diabetes | Experimental diabetes produced in animals by puncture of the floor of the fourth ventricle of the brain. Synonym: piqure diabetes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| puncture wound | An injury from piercing or penetrating with a pointed object. Any puncture wound through tennis shoes (as with a nail) has a high risk of infection because the foam in tennis shoes can harbor a bacteria (pseudomonas). (12 Dec 1998) |
| skin-puncture test | Test for Behcet's syndrome; after pricking the skin with a sterile needle, pustulation follows within 24 hours, owing to the dermal sensitivity in this disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spinal puncture | Tapping of the subarachnoid space in the lumbar region, usually between the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae. (12 Dec 1998) |
| sternal puncture | Removal of bone marrow from the manubrium by needle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| still's disease, adult-onset | Systemic-onset rheumatoid arthritis in adults. It differs from classical rheumatoid arthritis in that it is more often marked by acute febrile onset, and generalised lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly are more prominent. (12 Dec 1998) |
| diabetic puncture | A puncture at a point in the floor of the fourth ventricle of the brain which causes glycosuria. Synonym: Bernard's puncture. (05 Mar 2000) |
| disease, adult coeliac | This condition results from an immune (allergic) reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat and related grains and present in many foods that we eat. Sprue causes impaired absorption and digestion of nutrients through the small intestine. Symptoms include requent diarrhoea and weight loss. A skin condition called dermatitis herpetiformis can be associated with coeliac sprue. The most accurate diagnostic test for sprue is a biopsy of the involved small bowel. Treatment is to avoid gluten in the diet. Medications are used for refractory (stubborn) sprue. Known under a number of other names, including coeliac sprue. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Quincke's puncture | A diagnostic procedure where a sterile needle is introduced into the lower spine (L2) to collect cerebrospinal fluid for diagnostic purposes. Chemical analysis, cellular analysis and CSF pressure can all be measured with this procedure. This test can aid in the diagnosis of meningitis, subarachnoid haemorrhage and multiple sclerosis. (27 Sep 1997) |
| ear puncture | Puncture of the ear drum may be due to an accident for example when something is stuck into the ear. Or it may be due to fluid pressure in the middle ear. Today the ear drum is occasionally punctured on purpose with surgery. A surgically placed tiny incision (a myringotomy) is made in the eardrum. Any fluid, usually thickened secretions, is removed and an ear tube may be inserted. (12 Dec 1998) |