| pulmonary wedge pressure | The blood pressure as recorded after wedging a catheter in a small pulmonary artery; believed to reflect the pressure in the pulmonary capillaries. (12 Dec 1998) |
|---|---|
| quartz wedge | <microscopy> A compensator consisting of a gradual wedge of quartz of such orientation and dimensions as to show at least several orders of retardation colours as illustrated by the Michel Levy scale of retardation colours and birefringence vs. Thickness of specimen. The Babinet compensator employs two opposing quartz wedges, calibrated in terms of retardation. (05 Aug 1998) |
| ovarian wedge resection | <gynaecology, procedure> The surgical removal of a portion of a polycystic ovary to induce ovulation. (05 Jan 1998) |
| Abbott's method | A method of treatment of scoliosis by use of a series of plaster jackets applied after partial correction of the curvature by external force. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Abell-Kendall method | A standard method for estimation of total serum cholesterol involving saponification of cholesterol ester by hydroxide, extraction with petroleum ether, and colour development with acetic anhydride-sulfuric acid; the method avoids interference by bilirubin, protein, and haemoglobin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| activated sludge method | A method of sewage disposal in which the sewage is treated with 15% bacterially active, liquid sludge, which is produced by repeated vigorous aeration of fresh sewage to form floccules or sediment; when this flocculation process is complete, the resulting activated sludge contains large numbers of bacteria, together with yeasts, molds, and protozoa, which actively effect the oxidation of organic compounds; this mixture is piped to a sedimentation tank, the effluent from which is completely treated sewage. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Altmann-Gersh method | The method of rapidly freezing a tissue and dehydrating it in a vacuum. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Anel's method | Ligation of an artery immediately above (on the proximal side of) an aneurysm. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Antyllus' method | Ligation of the artery above and below an aneurysm, followed by incision into and emptying of the sac. (05 Mar 2000) |
| aristotelian method | A method of study that stresses the relation between a general category and a particular object. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Ashby method | A differential agglutination method for estimating erythrocyte life span; compatible blood possessing a group factor that the recipient lacks is transferred to the recipient; after the transfusion, sera with potent agglutinins for the recipient's red cells are added to samples of the recipient's blood, and the unagglutinated red cells are counted; using this technique the red cell life span in normal persons is found to be 110 to 120 days. (05 Mar 2000) |
| auxanographic method | A method for the study of bacterial enzymes in which agar is mixed with the material (e.g., starch or milk) which is to serve as an indicator of the enzyme action and is inoculated and plated; if the bacteria produce enzymes digesting the admixed material, there will be a zone of clearing in the medium about each colony. Synonym: diffusion method. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Barraquer's method | Zonulysis Dissolution of the zonula ciliaris by enzymes (alpha-chymotrypsin) to facilitate surgical removal of a cataract. Synonym: Barraquer's method. Origin: zonule + G. Lysis, dissolution (05 Mar 2000) |
| Beck's method | A permanent opening into the stomach made from its greater curvature. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Bier's method | Treatment of various surgical conditions by reactive hyperaemia. (05 Mar 2000) |