| PACEMAKER: |
A group of cells, known as the sinoatrial node, that are located in the atrium of the heart and serve to regulate the rate and rhythm of the heart. An artificial cardiac pacemaker is an electrical device used to simulate the natural process by generating electrical impulses. |
| PALATE: |
The roof of the mouth. The front portion is bony (hard palate), and the back portion is muscular (soft palate). |
| PALLIATIVE: |
Treatment undertaken not to cure but to improve a problem or condition. |
| PALLOR: |
Paleness. |
| PALPEBRAL: |
Referring to the eyelids. |
| PALPEBRAL FISSURES: |
The gap between the upper and lower eyelids. |
| PALSY: |
An alternative term for paralysis. |
| PANCREAS: |
A small organ that lies behind the lower part of the stomach. The pancreas makes insulin needed to convert glucose to energy. The pancreas also makes enzymes that help the body digest food. Cells concentrated in areas known as Islets of Langerhans have specific functions. Alpha cells make glucagon, which raises the blood levels of glucose in the blood; beta cells make insulin; delta cells make somatostatin. There are also the PP cells and the D1 cells, about which little is known. |
| PAPILLA: |
A nipple-like projection or structure. |
| PAPILLEDEMA: |
Swelling around the optic nerve, usually due to pressure on the nerve by a tumor. |
| PARA: |
The number of live births. Commonly see the notation G2P, for example, which means gravida 2 para 1 - two pregnancies with one live birth. |
| PARALYSIS: |
Complete or partial inability to move a part of the body. |
| PARANASAL SINUSES: |
Airspaces in the base of the skull in communication with the air passages of the nose. |
| PARAPARESIS: |
Weakness below the waist, including the legs. |
| PARAPLEGIA: |
Paralysis that involves the legs only. |
| PARASYMPATHETIC: |
Division of the autonomic (automatic) nervous system. Parasympathetic nerves control functions of digestion, heart and lung activity, constriction of eye pupils and many other normal functions of the body. |
| PARENTERAL: |
Brought into the body in some other way than the digestive tract, as by subcutaneous or intravenous injection. |
| PARESTHESIA: |
Abnormal sensations occurring spontaneously or in response to stimulation. Paresthesias may include prickling, tingling, burning, or tickling feelings; numbness; "pins and needles"; or cramp-like sensations. Various neurologic movement disorders may be characterized by paresthesias, including restless legs syndrome (RLS), paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD), and paroxysmal non-kinesigenic dyskinesia (PNKD). |
| PARIETAL LOBE: |
Area of the brain that lies in front of the occipital lobe that is important in processing information from the sense of touch and bringing together sensory information. |
| PARONYCHIA: |
Infection around a fingernail bed. |
| PAROOXYSMAL NOCTURNAL DYSPNEA: |
Episodic shortness of breath at night. |
| PATELLAE: |
Knee cap. |
| PATENT: |
Open. |
| PECTORAL: |
Pertaining to the chest. |
| PECTORAL MUSCLES: |
Muscles that overlay the chest wall and help to support the breasts. |
| PECTUS CARINATUM: |
Convex chest (bowed out) opposite of pectus excavatum. |
| PECTUS EXCAVATUM: |
Concave chest (caved in) opposite of pectus carinatum. |
| PEDIATRIC: |
Pertaining to children. |
| PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGIST: |
A doctor who treats children with problems of the endocrine glands. |
| PELVIC FLOOR MUSCLES: |
A group of muscles at the base of the pelvis. They help support the bladder, urethra, rectum and (in women) vagina and uterus. |
| PELVIC GIRDLE: |
The bony ring composed of the two hip bones laterally and in front, and the sacrum and coccyx behind. |
| PELVIC POUCH: |
Surgically-fashioned artificial rectum. |
| PELVIS: |
The ring of bones that link the spine and hip bones, and protects abdominal organs such as the uterus in women. |
| PENIS: |
Male organ for urination and sexual intercourse. |
| PEPTIC: |
Pertaining to digestion or the enzyme pepsin. |
| PERCUTANEOUS UMBILICAL BLOOD SAMPLING: |
A procedure in which a blood sample is withdrawn from the umbilical cord while the fetus is still in the uterus. Used mainly for rapid chromosome analysis or to evaluate fetuses at risk for certain blood disorders. |
| PERFORATION: |
Process of making a hole, or the hole itself. |
| PERI-: |
Around or near. |
| PERICARDIUM: |
Membranous sac enclosing the heart. |
| PERINATAL: |
Pertaining to or occurring in the period of time shortly before and after the birth of an infant (28 weeks gestation to 1-4 months of age). |
| PERIODONTAL: |
Pertaining to the area immediately around a tooth. |
| PERIORAL: |
Around the mouth. |
| PERIOSTEUM: |
Fibrous tissue that encases bone. |
| PERIPHERAL: |
On the surface of an organ or of the body. |
| PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: |
The parts of the nervous system that are outside the brain and spinal cord. |
| PERNICIOUS: |
Destructive, sometimes fatal. |
| PERONEAL: |
Relating to the fibula, the outer side of the leg, or the structures
located there. |
| PERSPIRATION: |
Sweat, the salty fluid excreted from the sweat glands of the skin. |
| PETECHIAE: |
Small purplish red spots due to subcutaneous hemorrhages. |
| PETIT MAL: |
A form of epileptic fit beginning in childhood. |
| PHALANGES: |
Bones in fingers and toes. |
| PHARYNX: |
Upper portion of the throat; the passageway for air from the nose to the larynx and for food from the mouth to the esophagus. |
| PHILTRUM: |
The vertical groove or dimple in the upper lip. |
| PHLEGM: |
Thick mucus, especially from the sinuses or respiratory tract. |
| PHOTOPHOBIA: |
Unable to tolerate light. |
| PHOTOSENSITIVITY: |
Sensitive to light. |
| PIGMENTATION: |
Coloration of the skin and eyes. |
| PINEAL BODY: |
A small, cone-shaped structure located in the brain, the function of which is not clearly established. |
| PINEAL GLAND: |
A small gland located in the cerebrum. |
| PINNA: |
External part of the ear, the portion that is easily visible. |
| PITUITARY GLAND: |
A structure in the brain that controls most of the other glands in the body and influences most basic functions through the release of hormones. |
| PLACENTA ABRUPTO: |
A condition in which the placenta separates prematurely from the uterine wall. This is a serious condition that may result in spontaneous abortion. |
| PLANO-OCCIPUT: |
Flat-occipital bone on the back of the head. |
| PLAQUE: |
An abnormal patch on the skin or other organ or tissue. Plaque of an artery refers to hard formation on the artery walls formed by fat and cholesterol deposits over the years. These lead to hardening of the arteries called "atherosclerosis". |
| PLASMA: |
Protein-rich, cell-free, blood. |
| PLATELETS: |
Microscopic particles in the blood which stick to one another as part of the mechanism of clotting. Other major blood elements include protein, serum, and red & white blood cells. |
| PLATYBASIA: |
Broad base. |
| PLEURA: |
The membrane that covers the lungs and lines the chest cavity. |
| PLEXIFORM: |
Forming an interwoven network of blood vessels, nerves or lymphatics. |
| PLEXUS: |
Network of blood vessels. |
| POLY-: |
Prefix meaning multiple. |
| POLYDIPSIA: |
Excessive thirst. |
| POLYNEUROPATHY: |
A morbid state in which a number of nerves are affected at the same time. |
| POLYP: |
An abnormal tissue growth arising from a mucous membrane, that develops on the inside wall of a hollow organ, such as the colon. |
| POLYPHAGIA: |
Excessive hunger. |
| POLYURIA: |
Excessive urination. |
| POPLITEAL ARTERY: |
Main vessel carrying oxygen-rich blood to the (lower) leg, and running at the back of the knee. |
| PORTA HEPATIS: |
A horizontal fisssure in the liver, containing blood and lymph vessels, nerves and the hepatic ducts. |
| POST-: |
Prefix denoting after or behind. |
| POST MORTEM: |
Examination of a body after death. |
| POST-TERM PREGNANCY: |
A pregnancy that lasts longer than 42 weeks. |
| POSTERIOR TRIANGLE: |
An anatomical area bounded in the front by the back border of the sternocleidomastoid (strap) muscle of the neck, in the back by the front border of the trapezius (shoulder) muscle, and at the base by the collarbone. |
| POSTNASAL: |
At or from the back of the nose. |
| POSTNATAL: |
The time period after birth. |
| POSTPARTUM PERIOD: |
The period of time shortly after childbirth. |
| PREAURICULAR: |
Area in front of the ear, between the tragus and cheek. |
| PREMATURE LABOR OR DELIVERY: |
Onset of labour or delivery/birth before 37 completed weeks since the last normal menstrual period of a pregnancy. Current terminology is "Preterm". |
| PREMATURITY: |
Underdevelopment; the condition of an infant born too soon. Refers to infants delivered before 37 weeks from the first day of the last menstrual period. |
| PRENATAL: |
The time before birth, while a baby is developing during pregnancy. The period of time between the conception and birth of an infant. |
| PRETERM: |
Delivered/born before 37 completed weeks since the last normal menstrual period of a pregnancy. |
| PRETERM LABOR: |
Contractions that start opening the cervix before week 37 of pregnancy; also called premature labor. |
| PREVALENCE: |
The number of people in a given group or population who are reported to have a disease. |
| PROBAND: |
The affected subject who led to the research done on their family. |
| PRODUCTIVE COUGH: |
A cough in which phlegm or mucus is dislodged, enabling a person to clear mucus from the lungs. |
| PROGNOSIS: |
The forecast of the course and probable outcome of a disease. |
| PROLONGED LABOR: |
A difficult labor that does not accomplish a vaginal birth within 18 to 24 hours. |
| PROLONGED RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES: |
Greater than 24 hours between spontaneous or artificial breach in the amnion and chorion, releasing amniotic fluid or liquor, and the delivery of the fetus: its significance is an increasing liability to health- and life-threatening infection of the fetus, and to a lesser extent maternal infection. |
| PROSTHESIS: |
Artificial device to replace or assist damaged or missing bodily parts. |
| PROTEINS: |
Nitrogenous substances essential for the production of new body tissues. |
| PROTHROMBIN: |
A substance found in circulating blood that interacts with calcium salts to form thrombin, necessary for blood clotting. |
| PROXIMAL: |
Situated towards the centre of the body; opposite of distal. |
| PRURITUS: |
Itching. |
| PSEUDOHYPERTROPHIC: |
Enlarged organ or part caused by over-growth of fatty or fibrous tissue. |
| PSORIASIS: |
Chronic, recurrent skin disease characterized by patches of flaking skin with discoloration. |
| PSYCHOGENIC: |
Originating in the mind; also pertaining to the development of the mind. |
| PSYCHOMOTOR: |
Bodily movement. |
| PSYCHOSIS: |
Mental disturbance of serious magnitude that may be characterized by loss of contact with reality. Delusions and hallucinations are often present. |
| PTERYGIUM COLLI: |
Redundant skin folds in the neck. |
| PTOSIS: |
Drooping of an organ, but usually in reference to the eyelid. |
| PUBERTY: |
The time when body changes particular to the sex occur and when reproduction becomes possible. |
| PULMONARY: |
Relating to the lungs. |
| PUPIL: |
The circular opening in the center of the iris through which light passes into the eye. |
| PURPURA: |
Purple spots and patches caused by leakage of blood into the tissues under the skin. |
| PYLORIC STENOSIS: |
Obstruction at the outlet of the stomach. |
