| exchange transfusion | Removal of most of a patient's blood followed by introduction of an equal amount from donors. Synonym: exsanguination transfusion, substitution transfusion, total transfusion. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| exchange transfusion, whole blood | Repetitive withdrawal of small amounts of blood and replacement with donor blood until a large proportion of the blood volume has been exchanged. Used in treatment of foetal erythroblastosis, hepatic coma, sickle cell anaemia, disseminated intravascular coagulation, septicaemia, burns, thrombotic thrombopenic purpura, and fulminant malaria. (12 Dec 1998) |
| exsanguination transfusion | Removal of most of a patient's blood followed by introduction of an equal amount from donors. Synonym: exsanguination transfusion, substitution transfusion, total transfusion. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fetofetal transfusion | <biology>Passage of blood from one foetus to another via an arteriovenous communication or other shunt, in a monozygotic twin pregnancy. It results in anaemia in one twin and polycythemia in the other. (12 Dec 1998) |
| fetomaternal transfusion | <biology> Transplacental passage of foetal blood into the circulation of the maternal organism. (12 Dec 1998) |
| leukocyte transfusion | The transfer of leukocytes from a donor to a recipient or reinfusion to the donor. (12 Dec 1998) |
| lymphocyte transfusion | The transfer of lymphocytes from a donor to a recipient or reinfusion to the donor. (12 Dec 1998) |
| abdomen, acute | Clinical syndrome characterised by abdominal pain of great severity associated with other symptoms and signs, usually those of acute peritonitis, which might well be the result of a ruptured abdominal viscus or a similar abdominal catastrophe requiring urgent surgical operation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| acute | 1. Sharp, poignant. 2. Having a short and relatively severe course. Origin: L. Acutus = sharp (18 Nov 1997) |
| acute abdomen | Any serious acute intra-abdominal condition (such as appendicitis) attended by pain, tenderness, and muscular rigidity, and for which emergency surgery must be considered. Synonym: surgical abdomen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute abscess | A recently formed abscess with little or no fibrosis in the wall of the cavity. Synonym: hot abscess. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute adrenal crisis | <endocrinology> An abrupt life-threatening state which is caused by insufficient production of cortisol by the adrenal gland. A typical finding in Addison's disease. Individuals who have been taking corticosteroids (glucocorticoids) for a prolonged period of time (weeks to months) are at risk for acute adrenal crisis if the medication is stopped abruptly. For this reason, corticosteroid medication are withdrawn slowly on a diminishing dosing schedule. Symptoms include low blood pressure (shock), weakness, headache, vomiting, fever chills, tachycardia and sweating. Treatment includes blood pressure support and intravenous hydrocortisone. (27 Sep 1997) |
| acute adrenocortical insufficiency | Severe adrenocortical insufficiency when an intercurrent illness or trauma causes an increased demand for adrenocortical hormones in a patient with adrenal insufficiency due to disease or use of relatively large amounts of similar hormones as therapy; characterised by nausea, vomiting, hypotension, and frequently hyperthemia, hyponatraemia, hyperkalaemia, and hypoglycaemia; can be fatal if untreated. Synonym: addisonian crisis, adrenal crisis, Bernard-Sergent syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute African sleeping sickness | A disease of humans caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in eastern Africa from Ethiopia and Uganda south to Zimbabwe; it is clinically similar to Gambian trypanosomiasis but of shorter duration and more acute in form; patients suffer repeated episodes of pyrexia, become anaemic, and die commonly from cardiac failure. Synonym: acute African sleeping sickness, acute trypanosomiasis, East African sleeping sickness, East African trypanosomiasis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute alcoholism | A temporary deterioration in mental function, accompanied by muscular incoordination and paresis, induced by the rapid ingestion of alcoholic beverages. Synonym: intoxication. (05 Mar 2000) |