Glossary

Author: Glossary

  • Complicated dislocation

    A dislocation associated with other major injuries.  

  • Complete dislocation

    A dislocation that separates the surfaces of a joint completely.  

  • Closed dislocation

    A dislocation in which the joint is not penetrated by a wound.  

  • Ankle dislocation

    Traumatic displacement of the talocrural joint with or without concurrent fracture of the tibial or fibular malleoli, or both.  

  • Discitis

    Inflammation of a disk, especially an interarticular cartilage.  

  • Disk diffusion induction test

    A method of assessing erythromycin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus for their susceptibility to the antibiotic clindamycin. Erythromycin-impregnated disks are placed near clindamycin, or lincomycinimpregnated disks on a growth medium, and the effect of inducible erythromycin resistance on the inhibition of bacterial growth around the clindamycin disk is assessed. A flattening of the zone of inhibition…

  • Intercalated disk

    A modification of the cell membrane of adjacent cardiac muscle cells; it contains intercellular junctions for electrical and mechanical linkage of contiguous cells.  

  • Herniated intervertebral disk

    Rupture of the soft tissue that separates two vertebral bones into the spinal canal or adjacent spinal nerve roots. Herniation of intervertebral disks can cause back pain and, occasionally, loss of neurological function in the distribution of affected nerves.  

  • Epiphyseal disk

    A disk of cartilage at the junction of the diaphysis and epiphyses of growing long bones. Cartilage synthesis provides for growth in length; eventually the cartilage is replaced by bone.  

  • Dental disk

    A thin circular paper (or other substance) used to abrade, cut, or polish teeth or dental appliances.