Minimally invasive surgery (mis) Health Dictionary

Minimally Invasive Surgery (mis): From 1 Different Sources


More popularly called ‘keyhole surgery’, MIS is surgical intervention, whether diagnostic or curative, that causes patients the least possible physical trauma. It has revolutionised surgery, growing from a technique used by gynaecologists, urologists and innovative general surgeons to one regularly used in general surgery, GYNAECOLOGY, UROLOGY, thoracic surgery, orthopaedic surgery (see ORTHOPAEDICS) and OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY.

MIS is commonly carried out by means of an operating laparoscope (a type of ENDOSCOPE) that is slipped through a small incision in the skin. MIS now accounts for around 50 per cent

of all operations carried out in the UK. A small attachment on the end of the laparoscope provides an image that can be magni?ed on a screen, leaving the surgeon’s hands free to operate while his assistant operates the laparoscope. Halogen bulbs, ?breoptic cables and rod lenses have all contributed to the technical advancement of laparoscopes. Operations done in this manner include extracorporeal shock-wave LITHOTRIPSY for stones in the gall-bladder, biliary ducts and urinary system; removal of the gall-bladder; appendicectomy; removal of the spleen and adrenal glands; and thoracic sympathectomy. MIS is also used to remove cartilage or loose pieces of bone in the knee-joint.

This method of surgery usually means that patients can be treated on a day or overnight basis, allowing them to resume normal activities more quickly than with conventional surgery. It is safer and lessens the trauma and shock for patients needing surgery. MIS is also more cost e?ective, allowing hospitals to treat more patients in a year. Surgeons undertake special training in the use of MIS, a highly skilled technique, before they are permitted to use the procedures on patients. The use of MIS for hernia repair, colon surgery and repairs of duodenal perforations is under evaluation and its advantages will be enhanced by the development of robotic surgical techniques.

Health Source: Medical Dictionary
Author: Health Dictionary

Miscarriage

See ABORTION.... miscarriage

Keyhole Surgery

See MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY (MIS).... keyhole surgery

Misoprostol

A PROSTAGLANDIN analogue used to treat duodenal and gastric ulcers, and those induced by NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS (NSAIDS). It should not be taken by pregnant or breast-feeding women.... misoprostol

Mistletoe

Viscum album. N.O. Loranthaceae.

Synonym: European Mistletoe, Birdlime Mistletoe.

Habitat: Parasitic on the Oak, Hawthorn, Apple and many other trees.

Features ? This familiar evergreen is a true parasite, receiving no nourishment from the soil, nor even from the decaying bark. The leaves are obtuse lance-shaped, broader towards the end, sessile, and grow from a smooth-jointed stem about a foot high. The flower-heads are yellowish and the berries white. The plant is tasteless and without odour.

Part used ? Leaves.

Action: Highly valued as a nervine and antispasmodic.

Mistletoe leaves are given in hysteria, epilepsy, chorea and other diseases of the nervous system. As an anti-spasmodic and tonic it is used in cardiac dropsy.

Culpeper is at his most "Culpeperish" in discussing this plant, as witness:

"The birdlime doth mollify hard knots, tumours and imposthumes, ripeneth and discuteth them; and draweth thick as well as thin humours from remote parts of the body, digesting and separating them. And being mixed with equal parts of resin and wax, doth mollify the hardness of the spleen, and healeth old ulcers and sores. Being mixed with Sandarack and Orpiment, it helpeth to draw off foul nails; and if quicklime and wine lees be added thereunto it worketh the stronger. Both the leaves and berries of Mistletoe do heat and dry, and are of subtle parts."

While some truth may be hidden behind all this quaint terminology, it is feared that the modern herbal consultant would encounter serious difficulties if he attempted to follow the Culpeperian procedure too literally—although certain people still believe, or affect to believe, that he does so!

The birdlime mentioned in the quotation and also in the synonyms is the resin viscin, from the Latin viscum, birdlime.

MOUNTAIN FLAX.

Linum cartharticum. N.O. Linaceae

Synonym: Purging Flax.

Habitat: Heaths, moorlands; occasionally meadows and pastures.

Features ? Stem simple, up to eight inches high. Leaves opposite, small, lower obovate, higher lanceolate, entire. Flowers small, white (June to September), five-parted with serrate sepals, pointed petals. Taste, bitter and acrid.

Part used ? Herb.

Action: Laxative, cathartic.

In constipation, action similar to Senna, and sometimes preferred to the latter; rarely gripes. Occasionally prescribed with diuretics, etc., for gravel and dropsy. Combined with tonics and stomachics such as Gentian and Calumba root, makes a first-rate family medicine. Dose, wineglass of the ounce to pint infusion.... mistletoe

Plastic Surgery

See RECONSTRUCTIVE (PLASTIC) SURGERY.... plastic surgery

Surgery

That branch of medicine involved in the treatment of injuries, deformities or individual diseases by operation or manipulation. It incorporates: general surgery; specialised techniques such as CRYOSURGERY, MICROSURGERY, MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY (MIS), or minimal access (keyhole) surgery, and stereotactic sugery (see STEREOTAXIS); and surgery associated with the main specialties, especially cardiothoracic surgery, gastroenterology, GYNAECOLOGY, NEUROLOGY, OBSTETRICS, ONCOLOGY, OPHTHALMOLOGY, ORTHOPAEDICS, TRANSPLANTATION surgery, RECONSTRUCTIVE (PLASTIC) SURGERY, and UROLOGY. Remotely controlled surgery using televisual and robotic techniques is also being developed.

It takes up to 15 years to train a surgeon from the time at which he or she enters medical school; after graduating as a doctor a surgeon has to pass a comprehensive two-stage examination to become a fellow of one of the ?ve recognised colleges of surgeons in the UK and Ireland.

Surgery is carried out in specially designed operating theatres. Whereas it used to necessitate days and sometimes weeks of inpatient hospital care, many patients are now treated as day patients, often under local anaesthesia, being admitted in the morning and discharged later in the day.

More complex surgery, such as transplantation and neurosurgery, usually necessitates patients being nursed post-operatively in high-dependency units (see INTENSIVE THERAPY UNIT (ITU)) before being transferred to ordinary recovery wards. Successful surgery requires close co-operation between surgeons, physicians and radiologists as well as anaesthetists (see ANAESTHESIA), whose sophisticated techniques enable surgeons to undertake long and complex operations that were unthinkable 30 or more years ago. Surgical treatment of cancers is usually done in collaboration with oncologists. Successful surgery is also dependent on the skills of supporting sta? comprising nurses and operating-theatre technicians and the availability of up-to-date facilities.... surgery

Day Surgery

Surgery done in a clinic or a hospital without an overnight stay either before or after the operation. Improvements in surgery – especially the introduction of MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY (MIS) – as well as more e?ective methods of ANAESTHESIA have simpli?ed many procedures and reduced the physical and mental stress on patients. Patients undergoing day surgery should be accompanied home by a friend or relative. Occasionally a patient may develop complications that require a post-operative stay in hospital.... day surgery

Heart Surgery

Open-heart surgery permits the treatment of many previously inoperable conditions that were potentially fatal, or which made the patient chronically disabled. CORONARY ARTERY VEIN BYPASS GRAFTING (CAVBG), used to remedy obstruction of the arteries supplying the heart muscle, was ?rst carried out in the mid1960s and is now widely practised. Constricted heart valves today are routinely dilated by techniques of MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY (MIS), such as ANGIOPLASTY and laser treatment, and faulty valves can be replaced with mechanical alternatives (see VALVULOPLASTY).

Heart transplant Replacement of a person’s unhealthy heart with a normal heart from a healthy donor. The donor’s heart needs to be removed immediately after death and kept chilled in saline before rapid transport to the recipient. Heart transplants are technically demanding operations used to treat patients with progressive untreatable heart disease but whose other body systems are in good shape. They usually have advanced coronary artery disease and damaged heart muscle (CARDIOMYOPATHY). Apart from the technical diffculties of the operation, preventing rejection of the transplanted heart by the recipient’s immune system requires complex drug treatment. But once the patient has passed the immediate postoperative phase, the chances of ?ve-year survival is as high as 80 per cent in some cardiac centres. A key di?culty in doing heart transplants is a serious shortage of donor organs.... heart surgery

Oral Surgery

A branch of surgery that treats deformities, injuries or diseases of the TEETH and JAW, as well as other areas of the face and mouth. Surgeons doing this work are usually quali?ed dentists who have done further training in oral and maxillofacial surgery.... oral surgery

Radical Surgery

An operation to remove a cancer, plus adjacent tissue and lymph nodes.... radical surgery

Miso

Rich vegetable source of Vitamin B12, protein, fats, carbohydrates and minerals. After the atom bomb was dropped in Japan during World War II it was discovered that those who included Miso in the diet did not suffer from radiation trauma. ... miso

Minimally Invasive Surgery

Surgery using a rigid endoscope passed into the body through a small incision. Further small openings are made for surgical instruments so that the operation can be performed without a long surgical incision. Minimally invasive surgery may be used for many operations in the abdomen (see laparoscopy), including appendicectomy, cholecystectomy, hernia repair, and many gynaecological procedures. Knee operations (see arthroscopy) are also often performed by minimally invasive surgery.... minimally invasive surgery

Orthognathic Surgery

An operation to correct deformity of the jaw and the severe malocclusion that is invariably associated with it. The bones of the jaw are repositioned under general anaesthesia, and often require splinting (see splinting, dental) until they heal.... orthognathic surgery

Benefits Of Mistletoe Tea

For a healthy beverage, try the mistletoe tea! You should already know the plant thanks to its association with the Christmas traditions. However, there’s more to mistletoe than just being a decorative plant. Find out about the health benefits ofmistletoe tea! About the Mistletoe Tea The main ingredient of the mistletoe tea is the hemi-parasitic plant, the mistletoe. It is an evergreen plant that usually grows on the branches of various trees, such as elms, pines or oak. The mistletoe can be found in Europe, Australia, North America, and some parts of North Asia. The woody stem has oval, evergreen leaves, and waxy, white berries. The berries are poisonous; the leaves are the ones used to produce themistletoe tea. Mistletoe is often used as a Christmas decoration. It is hung somewhere in the house, and remains so during next Christmas, when it gets replaced. It is said that it protects the house from lightning or fire. Also, legends say that a man and a woman who meet under a hanging of mistletoe are obliged to kiss. The origin of this custom may be Scandinavian, and the first documented case of a couple kissing under the mistletoe dates from 16th century England. There are two types of mistletoe that matter: the European mistletoe and the American mistletoe. Regarding their appearance, they look pretty similar. The difference is that the American mistletoe has shorter leaves, and longer clusters of 10 or more berries. Other differences between the two are related to health benefits. How to prepare Mistletoe Tea Properly preparing a cup of mistletoe tea takes some time. First, you add a teaspoon of the dried mistletoe herb to a cup of cold water. Let the cup stay overnight at room temperature. On the next day, heat the mix before drinking. To enjoy its rich flavor, don’t skip any of these steps! Benefits of Mistletoe Tea The mistletoe tea has many health benefits thanks to its main ingredient, the mistletoe. The herb includes various active constituents, such as amines, caffeic and myristic acids, mucilage, terpenoids, and tannins. Mistletoe is also an essential ingredient of the European anti-cancer extract called Iscador, which helps stimulate the immune system and kill cancer cells. Therefore, it’s said that mistletoe teahelps you fight against cancer. Another health benefit of the mistletoe tea is that it reduces symptoms associated with high blood pressure, such as irritability, dizziness, headaches, and loss of energy. This, however, applies to the mistletoe tea made leaves of European mistletoe. The leaves of the American mistletoe is said to raise blood pressure. Another health-related difference between the European and the American mistletoe is related to uterine and intestinal contractions. The European mistletoe acts as an antispasmodic and calming agent, while the American mistletoe increases uterine and intestinal contractions. Be careful with the type of mistletoe tealeavesyou use. Mistletoe tea can also help with relieving panic attacks, nervousness, and headaches. It is a useful treatment against hysteria, epilepsy, and tinnitus. It is also recommended in the treatment of type 1 and 2 diabetes, breast cancer, and to support HIV patients. Drinking mistletoe teahelps with diarrhea, as well. It is useful when it comes to menopause and pre-menstrual syndrome. It is also useful when dealing with respiratory ailments such as coughs and asthma. Side effects of Mistletoe Tea First of it, it is recommended not to have children drink mistletoe tea. Also, if you are pregnant or breast feeding, it is best that you stop drinking mistletoe tea. If you have hepatitis, you need to stay away from mistletoe tea. Consumption of mistletoe tea will only cause more damage to the liver. Also, despite being useful when treating diabetes, mistletoe tea mayinterfere with the action of anti-diabetic medications. It is best that you check with your doctor, to make sure it doesn’t cancel the effects of the medication. Cancer patients should also consult with their doctors first, before adding mistletoe tea to their daily diet. Other side effects that you might experience because of mistletoe tea are flu-like symptoms, including fever, nausea, abdominal pain, and various allergy-type symptoms. Lastly, don’t drink more than 6 cups of mistletoe tea a day. If you do, it might cause you more harm than good. You might get some of the following symptoms: headaches, dizziness, insomnia, irregular heartbeats, vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite. If you get any of these symptoms, reduce the amount of mistletoe tea you drink. Also, this can apply to all types of tea, not only mistletoe tea.   Don’t just think of Christmas when you hear someone talking about mistletoe. Remember the many health benefits of mistletoe tea. Check for side effects and if it’s all safe, feel free to include mistletoe teain your daily diet. It will definitely help you stay healthy!... benefits of mistletoe tea

Misae

(Native American) Born beneath the white sun

Mysae, Misay, Misaye, Mysay, Mysaye, Misai, Mysai... misae

Mischa

(Russian) Form of Michelle, meaning “who is like God?” Misha... mischa

Misrak

(African) Woman from the East Misrake, Misraka, Misrakia... misrak

Missing Data

Information not available for a subject (or case) about whom other information is available.... missing data

Mississippi

(Native American) Of the great river; from the state of Mississippi Misisipi, Missisippi, Mississipi, Misissippi, Misisippi... mississippi

Missouri

(Native American) From the town of large canoes

Missourie, Mizouri, Mizourie, Missoury, Mizoury, Missuri, Mizuri, Mizury, Missury... missouri

Missy

(English) Form of Melissa, meaning “resembling a honeybee” Missey, Misse, Missee, Missie, Missi, Missea... missy

Mistico

(Italian) A mystical woman Mistica, Mystico, Mystica, Mistiko, Mystiko... mistico

Misty

(American) Covered with dew; of the mists

Mistie, Misti, Mistey, Mistee, Mystee, Mysti, Mystie, Mysty, Mystey, Mystea, Mistea... misty

Misu

(Native American) Of the rippling waters

Misoo, Misou, Mysu, Mysoo, Mysou... misu

Misumi

(Japanese) A pure, beautiful woman

Misumie, Misumee, Misumy, Misumey, Misumea... misumi

Arterial Reconstructive Surgery

An operation to repair arteries that are narrowed, blocked, or weakened. Arterial reconstructive surgery is most often performed to repair arteries that have been narrowed by atherosclerosis. It is also used to repair aneurysms and arteries damaged as a result of injury. (See also angioplasty, balloon; coronary artery bypass; endarterectomy.)... arterial reconstructive surgery

Misuse Of Drugs

See also MEDICINES. Government legislation covers the manufacture, sale and prescription of drugs in the UK. As well as stating which drugs may be sold over the counter (OTC) without a doctor’s or dentist’s prescription, and those which can be obtained only with such a prescription, government regulations determine the extent of availability of many substances which are liable to be abused – see Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (below). The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1985 de?ne those individuals who in their professional capacity are authorised to supply and possess controlled drugs: see the schedules of drugs listed below under the 1985 regulations.

Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 This legislation forbids activities relating to the manufacture, sale and possession of particular (controlled) drugs. These are classi?ed into three grades according to their dangers if misused. Any o?ences concerning class A drugs, potentially the most damaging when abused, carry the toughest penalties, while classes B and C attract lesser penalties if abused.

Class A includes: cocaine, dextromoramide, diamorphine (heroin), lysergic acid (LSD), methadone, morphine, opium, pethidine, phencyclidine acid and injectable preparations of class B drugs.

Class B includes: oral amphetamines, barbiturates, codeine, glutethimide, marijuana (cannabis), pentazocine and pholcodine.

Class C includes: drugs related to the amphetamines, anabolic and androgenic steroids, many benzodiazepines, buprenorphine, diethyl propion, human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), mazindol, meprobamate, pemoline, phenbuterol, and somatropin.

Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1985 These regulations de?ne those people who are authorised in their professional capacity to supply and possess controlled drugs. They also describe the requirements for legally undertaking these activities, such as storage of the drugs and limits on their prescription.

Drugs are divided into ?ve schedules and some examples follow.

I: Almost all are prohibited except in accordance with Home O?ce authority: marijuana (cannabis), LSD.

II: High potential for abuse but have

accepted medical uses: amphetamines, cocaine.

III: Lower potential for abuse: barbiturates, meprobamate, temazepam.

IV: Lower potential for abuse than I to III. Minimal control: benzodiazepines.

V: Low potential for abuse: generally compound preparations containing small amounts of opioids: kaolin and morphine (antidiarrhoeal medicine), codeine linctus (cough suppressant).

(See also CONTROLLED DRUGS.)... misuse of drugs

Reconstructive (plastic) Surgery

Reconstructive surgery on the skin and underlying tissues that have been damaged or lost as a result of disease or injury. Congenital malformations are also remedied using reconstructive surgery. Surgeons graft healthy skin from another part of the body to repair skin damaged or destroyed by burns or injuries. New techniques are under development for growing new skin in the laboratory to be used in reconstructive surgery. Surgeons also repair damage using skin ?aps prepared in another part of the body – for example, a skin ?ap from the arm may be used to repair a badly injured nose or face. Reconstructive surgery is also used to repair the consequences of an operation for cancer of, say, the neck or the jaw. Plastic surgeons undertake cosmetic surgery to improve the appearance of noses, breasts, abdomens and faces.... reconstructive (plastic) surgery

Research Fraud And Misconduct

Research misconduct is de?ned as behaviour by a researcher that falls short of good ethical and scienti?c standards – whether or not this be intentional. For example, the same data may be sent for publication to more than one medical journal, which might have the e?ect of their being counted twice in any META-ANALYSIS or systematic review; or the data may be ‘salami sliced’ to try to make the maximum number of publications, even though the data may overlap. Fraud in the context of research is de?ned as the generation of false data with the intent to deceive. It is much less frequent than carelessness, but its incidence is estimated as between

0.1 and 1 per cent. A ?gure of 1 per cent means that, in the United Kingdom at any one time, maybe 30 studies are being conducted, or their results published, which could contain false information. Examples include forged ethics-committee approval, patient signatures and diary cards; fabricated ?gures and results; invention of non-existent patient subjects; or sharing one electrocardiogram or blood sample amongst many subjects.

Research fraud should be ?rst suspected by a clinical-trial monitor who recognises that data are not genuine, or by a quality-assurance auditor who cannot reconcile data in clinical-trial report forms with original patient records. Unfortunately, it often comes to light by chance. There may be suspicious similarities between data ostensibly coming from more than one source, or visits may have been recorded when it was known that the clinic was shut. Statistical analysis of a likely irregularity will frequently con?rm such suspicion. The motivation for fraud is usually greed, but a desire to publish at all costs, to be the original author of a medical breakthrough, to bolster applications for research grants, or to strengthen a bid for more departmental resources are other recognised reasons for committing fraud.

In the USA, those proved to have committed fraud are debarred from receiving federal funds for research purposes or from undertaking government-funded therapeutic research. The four Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) have committees on research dishonesty that investigate all cases of suspected research misconduct. In the United Kingdom, an informal system operated by the pharmaceutical industry, using the disciplinary mechanism of the General Medical Council (GMC), has led to more than 16 doctors in the past ten years being disciplined for having committed research fraud. Editors of many of the world’s leading medical journals have united to form the Committee on Publishing Ethics, which advises doctors on proper practice and assists them in retracting or refusing to publish articles found or known to be false. (See ETHICS; ETHICS COMMITTEES.) Where an author does not o?er a satisfactory explanation, the matter is passed to his or her institution to investigate; where an editor or the committee is not satis?ed with the result they may pass the complaint to the appropriate regulatory body, such as the GMC in Britain.... research fraud and misconduct

Body Contour Surgery

Surgery performed to remove excess fat, skin, or both, from various parts of the body, especially the abdomen, thighs, and buttocks. Abdominal wall reduction, also known as abdominoplasty, involves removing excess skin and fat from the abdomen. With all of these procedures there is a risk of complications, and the wound may become infected.

In suction lipectomy (liposuction), a rigid hollow tube is inserted through a small skin incision and use to break up large areas of fat, which can then be sucked out through the instrument.

Minor irregularities and dimpling of the skin commonly occur after surgery.... body contour surgery

Solvent Abuse (misuse)

Also known as volatile-substance abuse, this is the deliberate inhalation of intoxicating fumes given o? by some volatile liquids. Glue-sni?ng was the most common type of solvent abuse, but inhalation of fuel gases such as butane, especially in the form of lighter re?lls, is now a greater problem and has become common among children – particularly teenagers. Solvents or volatile substances are applied to a piece of cloth or put into a plastic bag and inhaled, sometimes until the person loses consciousness. He or she may become acutely intoxicated; chronic abusers may suffer from ulcers and rashes over the face as well as damage to peripheral nerves. Death can occur, probably as a result of an abnormal rhythm of the heart. TOLERANCE to the volatile substances may develop over months, but acute intoxication may lead to aggressive and impulsive behaviour. Treatment of addiction is di?cult and requires professional counselling. Victims with acute symptoms require urgent medical attention. In Britain, most solvent misusers are males under 20 years of age. Around 150 deaths occur every year. (See also DEPENDENCE.)... solvent abuse (misuse)

Breast Enlargement Surgery

A type of mammoplasty.... breast enlargement surgery

Cardiovascular Surgery

The branch of surgery concerned with the heart and blood vessels.

Cardiovascular surgery includes operations to prevent or repair damage caused, for example, by congenital heart disease (see heart disease, congenital), atherosclerosis, or a myocardial infarction (heart attack).

Procedures include heart valve surgery, coronary artery bypass, and heart transplant.... cardiovascular surgery

Cataract Surgery

Removal of the lens from the eye, performed to restore sight in people whose vision is impaired by a cataract. The lens is usually replaced with a plastic implant during the operation, although for young people and those with other eye disorders, a contact or spectacle lens fitted after the operation may be preferable.... cataract surgery

Cosmetic Surgery

An operation performed to improve appearance rather than to cure or treat disease.

Cosmetic surgery techniques include the removal of skin blemishes or dermabrasion; rhinoplasty to alter the shape or size of the nose; face-lifts; mammoplasty to reduce or enlarge the breasts; body contour surgery to remove excess body fat and tissue; hair transplants; blepharoplasty to remove excess skin on the eyelids; and mentoplasty to alter the size or shape of the chin.

All cosmetic surgery carries the risk of side effects from the anaesthetic, as well as of complications of the procedure itself.... cosmetic surgery

Ear, Nose, And Throat Surgery

See otorhinolaryngology.... ear, nose, and throat surgery

Ent Surgery

See otorhinolaryngology.... ent surgery

Exploratory Surgery

Any operation that is carried out to investigate or examine part of the body to discover the extent of known disease or to establish a diagnosis. Advances in imaging techniques, such as MRI, have reduced the need for exploratory surgery.... exploratory surgery

Eyelid Surgery

See blepharoplasty.... eyelid surgery

Invasive

Tending to spread throughout body tissues; the term is usually applied to cancerous tumours or harmful microorganisms. In an invasive medical procedure, body tissues are penetrated by an instrument. (See also minimally invasive surgery and noninvasive.)... invasive

Minimal Access Surgery

See minimally invasive surgery.... minimal access surgery

Heart-valve Surgery

An operation to correct a heart valve defect or to remove a diseased or damaged valve. A heart valve may have to be repaired, widened, or replaced because it is either incompetent (leaky) or stenotic (narrowed). Widening of a valve may involve valvotomy or valvuloplasty. A damaged valve can be replaced by a mechanical one (fashioned from metal and plastic), a valve constructed from human tissue, a pig valve, or a valve taken from a human donor after death. A heart–lung machine is used during replacement.After heart-valve surgery, symptoms such as breathlessness may take weeks to improve and require medication to be continued. Some people need longterm treatment with anticoagulant drugs to prevent the formation of blood clots around the new valve.... heart-valve surgery

Open Heart Surgery

Any operation on the heart in which it is stopped temporarily and its function taken over by a mechanical pump. The main forms of open heart surgery are correction of congenital heart defects (see heart disease, congenital), surgery for narrowed or leaky heart valves (see heart-valve surgery), and coronary artery bypass surgery. Once the pump is connected, the heart is opened, and the defects repaired. Surgical hypothermia is used to keep the heart cool and help prevent damage to the heart muscle from lack of oxygen (see hypothermia, surgical).... open heart surgery

Reconstructive Surgery

See arterial reconstructive surgery; plastic surgery.... reconstructive surgery

Stereotaxic Surgery

Brain operations carried out by inserting delicate instruments through a surgically created hole in the skull and guiding them, with the aid of CT scanning, to a specific area.

Stereotaxic procedures can be used to treat pituitary tumours; for a brain biopsy; or to destroy small areas of the brain to treat disabling neurological disorders.... stereotaxic surgery

Thoracic Surgery

A surgical speciality concerned with operations on organs within the chest cavity. Sometimes, thoracic surgery is combined with heart surgery, in which case it is known as cardiothoracic surgery.... thoracic surgery

Transplant Surgery

Replacement of a diseased organ or tissue with a healthy, living substitute. The organ is usually taken from a person who has just died. Some kidneys are transplanted from a patient’s living relatives (see organ donation). The results of surgery have also been improved by testing for histocompatibility antigens and tissue-typing.

Rejection is a major problem. However, a combination of a corticosteroid drug and ciclosporin are given in order to suppress this response.

Every patient who undergoes an organ transplant operation must take immunosuppressant drugs indefinitely. (See also heart transplant; heart–lung transplant; liver transplant; kidney transplant.)... transplant surgery

Trauma Surgery

See traumatology.... trauma surgery

Aqueous Misdirection

(malignant glaucoma) a rare form of secondary angle-closure *glaucoma marked by raised intraocular pressure and shallowing of the central and peripheral anterior chamber.... aqueous misdirection

Bariatric Surgery

surgery performed for the purpose of weight loss in obese patients. Most procedures are restrictive, being designed to promote feelings of fullness and satiety after meals (see gastric banding; stomach stapling). See also gastric bypass surgery; jaw wiring.... bariatric surgery

Computer-assisted Surgery

(image-guided surgery, surgical navigation) a technique by which a virtual image or map of the patient is created from CT scans, MRI scans, X-rays, or ultrasound scans and loaded into a computer. Special instruments connected to the computer are then applied to certain reference points on the patient. The computer can then produce a picture of the location of the instrument within the patient.... computer-assisted surgery

Day-case Surgery

surgical procedures that can be performed in a single day, without the need to admit the patient for an overnight stay in hospital. Modern techniques of surgery and anaesthesia now enable many surgical cases of minor and intermediate degrees of severity to be treated in this way: examples include many breast lesions, dilatation and curettage, and operations for hernia and varicose veins. Special units are established in many hospitals.... day-case surgery

Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

(ESS) surgery of the *paranasal sinuses using endoscopes. Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) clears inflamed tissue from routes of sinus drainage and aeration to allow the other sinuses to return to normal.... endoscopic sinus surgery

Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery

(FGCS) surgery to alter the size or shape of the *vulva and/or vagina when these are a cause of significant distress or sexual dysfunction. FGCS includes labioplasty (reduction or alteration of the labia), clitoral hood reduction (excision of excess skin in the fold surrounding the clitoris), and hymenoplasty (partial or complete reconstruction of the hymen).... female genital cosmetic surgery

Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

(FESS) see endoscopic sinus surgery.... functional endoscopic sinus surgery

Gastric Bypass Surgery

any of several procedures of *bariatric surgery that allow food to bypass parts of the gut in order to reduce absorption of nutrients and calories. Such operations often lead to greater weight loss than restrictive procedures, such as *gastric banding and *stomach stapling, but there are significant long-term complications relating to chronic malabsorption and patients must remain under long-term specialist follow-up.... gastric bypass surgery

Image-guided Surgery

see computer-assisted surgery.... image-guided surgery

Minimally Conscious State

(MCS) a disorder of consciousness distinct from *persistent vegetative state (PVS) and locked-in syndrome (see vegetative state). Unlike PVS, patients with MCS have partial preservation of conscious awareness although the level of awareness frequently fluctuates over time.... minimally conscious state

Misophonia

n. dislike of or aversion to particular sounds, irrespective of the level of that sound. See hyperacusis, phonophobia.... misophonia

Missed Case

a person with a communicable disease in whom the symptoms and signs are so minimal that either there is no request for medical assistance or the doctor fails to make the diagnosis. The patient usually has partial immunity to the disease, but since the infecting organisms are of normal virulence, nonimmune contacts can be affected with the full manifestations of the illness. The period of infectivity is confined to the shortened duration of the illness (in contrast to a *carrier, in whom the pathogen is present without necessarily causing any ill effect). Alternatively, the subject has had the disease but retains some of the pathogens (e.g. in the throat or bowel) and so acts as a continuing reservoir of infection.... missed case

Misuse Of Drugs Act 1971

(in the UK) an Act of Parliament restricting the use of dangerous drugs. These controlled drugs are divided into three classes: class A drugs (e.g. heroin, morphine and other potent opioid analgesics, cocaine, LSD) cause the most harm when misused; class B drugs include amphetamines, barbiturates, and cannabis, and class C drugs include most benzodiazepines and anabolic steroids. The Act specifies certain requirements for writing prescriptions for these drugs. The Misuse of Drugs (Supply to Addicts) Regulations 1997 and the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 lay down who may supply controlled drugs and the rules governing their supply, prescription, etc.... misuse of drugs act 1971

Mohs’ Micrographic Surgery

a surgical technique used for removing primarily high-risk nonmelanoma skin cancers, particularly basal cell carcinoma. The technique allows the surgeon to see beyond the visible tumour as the specimen is removed and the histology checked in stages. At each stage, if the tumour involves the margins, further tissue is resected until they are clear. There is an extremely high cure rate. [F. E. Mohs (1910–2002), US surgeon]... mohs’ micrographic surgery

Recurrent Miscarriage

see miscarriage.... recurrent miscarriage

Refractive Surgery

any surgical procedure that has as its primary objective the correction of any refractive error. It includes such procedures as clear lens extraction, *LASIK, *LASEK, and photorefractive *keratectomy.... refractive surgery

Robotic Surgery

a type of laparoscopic surgery in which the operating surgeon controls the instruments via a robot. The surgeon sits at a console away from the patient and controls the robot’s operating arms.... robotic surgery

Substance Misuse

the nonclinical, or recreational, use of pharmacologically active substances such that continued use results in adverse physiological or psychological effects (see dependence). Substances commonly misused include alcohol (see alcoholism), *amphetamines, *cannabis, *cocaine, *Ecstasy, *heroin, *lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and organic solvents (by inhalation), but also many prescribed medications, such as co-codamol, quetiapine, or pregabalin.... substance misuse

Therapeutic Misconception

a common misunderstanding on the part of patients involved in a research trial that they themselves will benefit from its findings. Researchers and recruiters for research have an ethical duty to check for this misunderstanding and to correct it wherever possible. If they do not, the principle of *informed consent may be breached.... therapeutic misconception

Trans-oral Robotic Surgery

(TORS) a form of robot-assisted surgery used for treating difficult-to-access tumours of the pharynx and larynx.... trans-oral robotic surgery



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