Glossary

Author: Glossary

  • Fallophobia

    A colloquial term for the fear of falling and of what it may mean for one’s future health and prospects for independent living.  

  • Falling drop

    ln physical diagnosis, a metallic tinkle heard over the normal stomach and bowel when they are inflated.  

  • Fallen lung sign

    The radiological appearance of traumatic transection or rupture of the trachea or a main stem bronchus, consisting of a collapsed lung that seems to dangle from the hilum by nothing more than its vascular attachments. Pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, and subcutaneous emphysema are sometimes also seen with tracheobronchial tears.  

  • Falciform ligament of the liver

    A wide, sickle-shaped reflection of the peritoneum that serves as a principal attachment of the liver to the diaphragm and separates the right and left lobes of the liver. Its broad attachment extends from the posterior superior portion of the liver to the anterior convex portion connected to the internal surface of the right rectus…

  • Faintness

    A sensation of impending loss of consciousness.  

  • Failure-to-rescue

    Loss of life among hospitalized patients resulting from inadequate recognition and treatment of life threatening complications. FTR is correlated with high ratios of patients to nurses and with psychological variables (e.g., burnout). It has been used, along with complication rates of surgery and other criteria, as an indicator of the quality of hospital care.  

  • Metabolic failure

    Rapid failure of physical and mental functions ending in death.  

  • Adult failure to thrive

    A progressive functional deterioration of a physical and cognitive nature; the individual’s ability to live with multisystem diseases, cope with ensuing problems, and manage his or her care are remarkably diminished.  

  • Acute liver failure

    The development of severe liver damage with encephalopathy and jaundice within eight weeks of the onset of liver disease. Coagulopathy, electrolyte imbalance, and cerebral edema are common. Death is likely without liver transplantation.  

  • Fail safe

    Problem-free or infallible, said of a device, system, or program manufactured or conceived not to malfunction.