Glossary

Author: Glossary

  • Amylolytic fermentation

    Hydrolysis of starch with the formation of sugar mixtures.  

  • Alcoholic fermentation

    Production of ethyl alcohol from carbohydrates, usually through the action of yeasts.  

  • Feral

    Existing in a wild, untamed, and undomesticated state.  

  • Fenestrated tracheostomy tube

    A double-cannulated tracheostomy tube that allows patients to breathe through the mouth or nose when the inner cannula is removed. The tube has an opening in the posterior wall of the outer cannula above the inflatable cuff.  

  • Femur length measurement

    An assessment made during a fetal ultrasound that uses the length of the femur to estimate the growth of the fetus, especially to see if there is evidence of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR).  

  • Femoral reflex

    Extension of the knee and flexion of the foot resulting from irritation of the skin over the upper anterior third of the thigh.  

  • Testicular feminization

    The phenotypic appearance of female sexual characteristics in a person who is genetically male (i.e., whose sex chromosomes are XY). This rare condition is caused by cell receptor defects that prevent testosterone and dihydrotestosterone from acting on somatic tissues. The external genitalia are rudimentary, and the testicles may be in the abdomen.  

  • Female genital cutting

    Partial or complete surgical removal of the clitoris, a traditional practice in some African, Middle Eastern, and Southeast Asian cultures. The cutting usually is performed between the ages of 1 week and 14 years. The procedure is performed by nonmedical personnel without benefit of anesthesia or sterile conditions. The most common procedures are removal of…

  • Felis domesticus

    The scientific name for the domestic cat whose dander is a source of allergenic protein. Cat-related allergens are abbreviated Fel by the World Health Organization.  

  • Feiss line

    A line that extends from the first metatarsophalangeal joint, over the navicular tubercle, to the apex of the medial malleolus. Changes in the angle formed by this line before and during weightbearing can be used to determine excessive pro nation of the foot. If the angle formed by Feiss’ line is in the range of…