Author: Glossary

Hereditary (autosomal recessive) defect in tyrosine metabolism caused by an enzyme lack and resulting in liver and kidney disturbances and mental retardation. Treatment is by a diet low in tyrosine and phenylalanine. A disease of tyrosine metabolism caused by a deficiency of the enzyme tyrosine aminotransferase. In addition to an accumulation of tyrosine in the…

Surgical correction or repair of injuries or defects in the tympanic membrane or bones of the middle ear to improve hearing. Surgical reconstruction of a ruptured tympanic membrane. A surgical procedure to treat hearing loss by repairing the eardrum (tympanic membrane) or by repairing or repositioning the tiny bones of the middle ear. Tympanoplasty is…

State of being cloudy, as a solution. Opacity due to the suspension of flaky or granular particles in a normally clear liquid. The level of turbidity observed in a urine sample (or any other solution).  

Muscle fiber protein that normally inhibits muscle contraction. Following nerve stimulation, calcium binds to troponin, blocking its inhibitory effect; normal contraction then occurs. Troponin is often released following myocardial infarction (heart attack). Its presence in the blood may be helpful in early diagnosis and treatment. An inhibitory protein in muscle fibers. The action potential at…

Malignant neoplasm of the uterus derived from the epithelium of the chorion, often associated with hydatid mole, sometimes with normal or tubal pregnancy or abortion. Treatment is by hysterectomy and chemotherapy. That branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, such as schistosomiasis, malaria, and yellow fever, found most commonly in tropical…

Layer of tissue that forms the wall of the blastocyst in early development; aids in implantation in the uterine wall; and after implantation divides into two layers, one becoming the chorion, the other the outer layer of the placenta.  

One of a pair of motor nerves, the fourth and smallest cranial nerve, essential for eye movement. The fourth cranial nerve (IV), which supplies the superior oblique muscle, one of the muscles responsible for movement of the eyeball in its socket. The action of the trochlear nerve is coordinated with that of the oculomotor and abducens nerves. The fourth cranial nerve…

Hair ball, sometimes formed in the alimentary canal. A mass of swallowed hair in the stomach. It is usually the patient’s own hair. A mass of hair that has accumulated in the digestive tract, often as a result of individuals pulling out and ingesting their own hair. In cases where patients with mental health issues…