| abdominal adhesions | <surgery> Scarring that can occur within the abdomen in response to surgery or chronic inflammation. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| abdominal angina | <surgery> A dull, crampy centralised abdominal pain that occurs 15-30 minutes after a meal. Associated with ischaemic bowel disease. Evaluated with mesenteric arteriography. (27 Sep 1997) |
| abdominal aorta | <anatomy> The largest arterial conduit below the diaphragm. This term refers to the portion of the aorta below the diaphragm to the bifurcation into the right and left common iliac arteries. It supplies blood to the abdominal viscera, pelvic organs and lower extremities. (20 Jun 2000) |
| abdominal aortic aneurysm | <surgery> A distended and weakened area in the wall of the abdominal aorta, more common in those who suffer from atherosclerosis. Symptoms include sudden, severe abdominal pain with radiation to the back. (27 Sep 1997) |
| abdominal aortic coarctation | <radiology> 2% of all coarctations, (most common site is thoracic: just distal to origin of L SCA), may be isolated congenital anomaly, associated with: thoracic aortic coarctation, idiopathic hypercalcaemia syndrome, rubella syndrome (ToRCHS), Takayasu arteritis, neurofibromatosis, radiation therapy, fibromuscular disease (12 Dec 1998) |
| abdominal aortic plexus | <anatomy, neurology> An autonomic plexus surrounding the abdominal aorta, directly continuous with the thoracic aortic plexus above and continued inferior to the bifurcation of the aorta as the superior hypogastric plexus. Synonym: plexus aorticus abdominalis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| abdominal apoplexy | <surgery> Mesenteric haemorrhage, thrombosis, or embolus involving the mesenteric or abdominal blood vessels. (05 Mar 2000) |
| abdominal ballottement | <procedure> Examination of the abdomen by palpation to detect excessive amounts of fluid (ascites) by causing organs to bob up and down in the fluid milieu. (05 Mar 2000) |
| abdominal canal | A passage in the lower anterior abdominal wall which in the male allows passage of the spermatic cord and in the female contains the round ligament. Because of the weakness it creates in the abdominal wall, it is the most frequent site for a hernia. (12 Dec 1998) |
| abdominal cavity | <anatomy> That portion of the body extending from beneath the diaphragm down to the pelvis. It contains all the abdominal organs. (27 Sep 1997) |
| abdominal delivery | <obstetrics> A obstetric procedure that involves the delivery of the foetus through an abdominal incision. Cesarian sections account for about one fifth of all births in the us. Indications include: failure to progress, foetal distress, cephalopelvic disproportion (baby's too big for birth canal), placenta previa, placental abruption, placental insufficiency, breech baby, active genital herpes, multiple gestation, preeclampsia and excessive scarring from previous surgeries. The average hospital stay is about 4 days. The maternal death rate with cesarian section is three times higher than with natural delivery. (27 Sep 1997) |
| abdominal dropsy | <clinical sign, gastroenterology> An effusion and accumulation of serous fluid in the abdominal cavity. Synonym: abdominal dropsy, peritoneal dropsy, hydroperitonia, hydrops abdominis. Origin: L, Gr. Askites from askos = bag (18 Nov 1997) |
| abdominal external oblique muscle | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, fifth to twelfth ribs; insertion, anterior half of lateral lip of iliac crest, inguinal ligament, and anterior layer of the rectus sheath; action, diminishes capacity of abdomen, draws thorax downward; nerve supply, thoracoabdominal nerves. Synonym: musculus obliquus externus abdominis, abdominal external oblique muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| abdominal fibromatosis | <anatomy> Resembling, or having the characteristics of, a ligament; ligamentous. Origin: Gr. Desmos ligament. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| abdominal fissure | Congenital failure of the ventral body wall to close. See: celosomia, gastroschisis. (05 Mar 2000) |