| plessor | A small hammer, usually with soft rubber head, used to tap the part directly, or with a plessimeter, in percussion of the chest or other part. Synonym: percussor, plexor. Origin: G. Plesso, to strike (05 Mar 2000) |
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| plethora | 1. Overfullness; especially, excessive fullness of the blood vessels; repletion; that state of the blood vessels or of the system when the blood exceeds a healthy standard in quantity; hyperaemia; opposed to anaemia. 2. State of being overfull; excess; superabundance. "He labors under a plethora of wit and imagination." (Jeffrey) Origin: NL, fr. Gr, fr. To be or become full. Cf. Pleonasm. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| plethoric | Haeving a full habit of body; characterised by plethora or excess of blood; as, a plethoric constitution; used also metaphorically. "Plethoric phrases." . "Plethoric fullness of thought." . Origin: Gr.; cf. F. Plethorique. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| plethysmograph | <physiology> An instrument for determining and registering the variations in the size or volume of a limb, as the arm or leg, and hence the variations in the amount of blood in the limb. Plethysmograph"ic. Origin: Gr. An enlargement + -graph. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| plethysmography | <physiology> The study, by means of the plethysmograph, of the variations in size of a limb, and hence of its blood supply. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| plethysmography, impedance | Recording changes in electrical impedance between electrodes placed on opposite sides of a part of the body, as a measure of volume changes in the path of the current. (12 Dec 1998) |
| plethysmography, whole body | Measurement of the volume of gas in the lungs, including that which is trapped in poorly communicating air spaces. It is of particular use in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema. (12 Dec 1998) |
| plethysmometry | Measuring the fullness of a hollow organ or vessel, as of the pulse. Origin: G. Plethysmos, increase, + metron, measure (05 Mar 2000) |
| pleumato- | <prefix> A combining form from Gr, wind, air, breath, respiration; as, pneumatograph, pneumatology. (29 Oct 1998) |
| pleura | <anatomy> The serous membranes covering the lungs (visceral pleura) and lining the inner aspect of the pleural cavity (parietal pleura). (29 Oct 1998) |
| pleura costalis | The layer of parietal pleura lining the chest walls. Synonym: pleura costalis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pleura diaphragmatica | The layer of parietal pleura covering the upper surface of the diaphragm, except along its costal attachments and where it is covered with the pericardium. Synonym: pleura diaphragmatica, phrenic pleura, pleura phrenica. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pleura mediastinalis | The continuation of the costal pleura passing from the sternum to the vertebral column which covers the side of the mediastinum. Synonym: pleura mediastinalis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pleura parietalis | That which lines the different parts of the wall of the pleural cavity; called costal, diaphragmatic, and mediastinal, according to the parts invested. Synonym: pleura parietalis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pleura pericardiaca | Pericardial pleura, that portion of the mediastinal pleura which is fused with the pericardium. (05 Mar 2000) |