| superficial | 1. Cursory; not thorough. 2. Pertaining to or situated near the surface. Synonym: superficialis. Origin: L. Superficialis, fr. Superficies, surface (05 Mar 2000) |
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| superficial angioma | <dermatology> Red or purple-coloured vascular skin markings that develop shortly after birth. Most are usually painless and benign and sharply demarcated from surrounding skin, usually located on the head and neck, and grow rapidly. It is caused by proliferation of immature capillary vessels in active stroma, and is usually present at birth or occurs within the first two or three months of life. Some lesions (cavernous haemangioma) will disappear or become harder to see as the child approaches school age. Localised steroid injections have been used successfully to reduce the size of a birthmark but generally they undergo spontaneous regression and involution without scarring and normally require no treatment. (07 Mar 2000) |
| superficial back muscles | Muscles originating from the vertebral column and having their fleshy bellies located in the back, but inserting onto the appendicular skeleton of the upper limb or the ribs. They are not innervated by dorsal primary rami of spinal nerves, as are the deep or true muscles of the back; includes the trapezius muscle (innervated by spinal accessory nerve) and latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, levator scapulae, and thoracic muscles (innervated by ventral primary rami of spinal nerves, or derivatives thereof). (05 Mar 2000) |
| superficial brachial artery | <anatomy, artery> An occasional variation in which the brachial artery lies superficial to the median nerve in the arm. Synonym: arteria brachialis superficialis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| superficial branch | Branch which passes above or closer to surface; usually in contrast to a deep branch. Synonym: ramus superficialis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| superficial branch of the lateral plantar nerve | <anatomy, nerve> Mostly cutaneous branch to skin of small and lateral half of fourth toes and lateral side of sole of foot, but also supplies the flexor digiti minimi brevis muscle and the most lateral dorsal and plantar interosseous muscles. Synonym: ramus superficialis nervi plantaris lateralis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| superficial branch of the medial plantar artery | <anatomy, artery> Gives rise to superficial digital arteries of medial three toes. Synonym: ramus superficialis arteriae plantaris medialis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| superficial branch of the radial nerve | <anatomy, nerve> Cutaneous terminal branch (with deep branch) which runs under cover of brachioradialis muscle to wrist, then supplies skin of proximal portion of the dorsal aspects of thumb, index, middle and lateral half of ring fingers and the portion of the dorsum of the hand located proximally. Synonym: ramus superficialis nervi radialis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| superficial branch of the superior gluteal artery | <anatomy, artery> To upper gluteus maximus muscle. Synonym: ramus superficialis arteriae gluteae superioris. (05 Mar 2000) |
| superficial branch of the transverse cervical artery | <anatomy, artery> Branch of transverse cervical artery which accompanies the spinal accessory nerve on the deep surface of the trapezius muscle. Alternatively arises as a direct branch of the thyrocervical trunk, in which case it is called the superficial cervical artery. (05 Mar 2000) |
| superficial branch of the ulnar nerve | <anatomy, nerve> Branch supplying skin of palmar aspect of little and medial half of ring fingers, the portion of the palm proximal to them and the palmaris brevis muscle. Synonym: ramus superficialis nervi ulnaris. (05 Mar 2000) |
| superficial burn | A burn involving only the epidermis and causing erythema and oedema without vesiculation. Synonym: superficial burn. (05 Mar 2000) |
| superficial cardiac plexus | The superficial and smaller subdivision of the cardiac plexus, formed by the left superior cardiac nerves from the left vagus and cervical sympathetic trunk; it is found beneath the aortic arch, between the arch and the bifurcation of the pulmonary trunk. Synonym: plexus cardiacus superficialis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| superficial cerebral veins | The veins on the superficial surface of the cerebral hemispheres; they comprise three groups: superior, middle, and inferior. Synonym: venae cerebri superficiales. (05 Mar 2000) |
| superficial cervical artery | <anatomy, artery> Origin, branch of thyrocervical trunk, running with spinal accessory nerve deep to trapezius muscle. See: superficial branch of the transverse cervical artery. Synonym: arteria cervicalis superficialis. (05 Mar 2000) |