| open-angle glaucoma | <ophthalmology> A disorder which is characterised by increased pressure within the eyeball. This occurs secondary to the chronic blockage of normal fluid circulation within the eye. Increased pressure within the eye can cause damage to the optic nerve and eventual blindness. Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness. Symptoms include decreased vision, halos around lights (worse at night) and mild chronic headaches. Treatment is generally with beta-blocker eyedrops. Synonym: chronic glaucoma, compensated glaucoma, simple glaucoma, glaucoma simplex. (22 Sep 2002) |
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| open biopsy | <surgery> Surgical incision or excision of the region from which the biopsy is taken. (05 Mar 2000) |
| open bite | <dentistry> A malocclusion in which the teeth do not close or come together in the front of your mouth. (08 Jan 1998) |
| open chain compound | An organic compound in which the chain does not form a ring. Synonym: aliphatic compound, open chain compound. (05 Mar 2000) |
| open chest massage | Rhythmic manual compression of the ventricles of the heart with the hand inside the thoracic cavity. (05 Mar 2000) |
| open circuit method | A method for measuring oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production by collecting the expired gas over a known period of time and measuring its volume and composition. (05 Mar 2000) |
| open comedo | A comedo with a wide opening on the skin surface capped with a melanin-containing blackened mass of epithelial debris. Synonym: blackhead. (05 Mar 2000) |
| open cordotomy | See: cordotomy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| open drainage | Drainage allowing air to enter. (05 Mar 2000) |
| open drop anaesthesia | Inhalation anaesthesia by vaporization of a liquid anaesthetic placed drop by drop on a gauze mask covering the mouth and nose. (05 Mar 2000) |
| open flap | A flap in which during transfer the pedicle is left flat or open, i.e., untubed. Synonym: open flap. (05 Mar 2000) |
| open fracture | Fracture in which the skin is perforated and there is an open wound down to the fracture. Synonym: compound fracture. (05 Mar 2000) |
| open head injury | A head injury in which there is a loss of continuity of scalp or mucous membranes; the term is sometimes used to indicate a communication between the exterior and the intracranial cavity. See: penetrating wound. (05 Mar 2000) |
| open-hearted | Candid; frank; generous. O"pen-heartedly, O"pen-heartedness. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| open heart surgery | A surgical procedure, known as a coronary artery bypass graft, which involves replacing diseased (narrowed) coronary arteries with veins obtained from the patients lower extremities (autologous graft). During this procedure the patient is placed on a heart bypass machine (heart-lung machine) to allow the surgeon adequate time to perform surgery on the resting (nonbeating) heart. This procedure has proven to extend the lives of individuals with coronary artery disease and improve the quality of life. Recovery in the hospital is approximately 7-10 days. (27 Sep 1997) |