Category: C

Scoop-shaped instrument used to remove material from a surface or cavity (e.g., the uterus) by scraping; also called curette. A sharp surgical instrument that is tipped with a ring, loop, or scoop and used to scrape the walls of a body cavity. A procedure performed with a curet is known as curettage. A curet is…

Wedge-shaped part of the back lobe of the brain. A wedge-shaped area of cerebral cortex that forms the inner surface of the occipital lobe. A wedge-shaped lobule of the brain on the mesial surface of the occipital lobe.  

Tarsal (ankle) bone on the lateral side of the foot. The outer bone of the tarsus, which articulates with the fourth and fifth metatarsal bones in front and with the calcaneus (heel bone) behind. The outer bone of the instep bones of the foot that articulates posteriorly with the calcaneus and anteriorly with the fourth…

Preserving of any body tissue or fluid at low temperature so that it may be used again in the future. Commonly used to preserve sperm for artificial insemination procedures. The use of extremely low temperatures to preserve sperm or embryos for use at a later time. Frozen sperm can be thawed and used for artificial…

Abnormal protein that separates from a solution (precipitates), such as blood, when cooled and dissolves when reheated to body temperature. Cryoglobulins are found in the blood in conjunction with certain tumors, as well as some types of pneumonia. Immunoglobulins that precipitate only in cold temperatures; found mainly in the presence of blood vessel illness. An…

Instrument for destroying tissue by freezing it. A device for application of cold sufficient to kill tissue.  

Insensibility resulting from deep cold. The topical cooling of body parts (e.g., with ice or liquid nitrogen) to reduce pain or permit surgery. The topical cooling of body parts (e.g., with ice or liquid nitrogen) to reduce pain or permit surgery.  

Inhaled powder used in the long-term treatment of asthma; use during an acute attack may markedly aggravate the patient’s condition.  

Inflammation at the junction of a rib and its cartilage. Usually viral in nature, this is commonly associated with chest pain (worsened on inspiration) and point tenderness, and may mimic the pain associated with diseases of the heart or lung. Patients with cos-tochrondritis may hyperventilate, leading to a sensation of shortness of breath (dyspnea). An…

Abnormally limited blood flow through the arteries supplying the heart muscle, which can cause chest pain (angina). Obstruction to the flow of blood through the coronary arteries, resulting in an inadequate supply of blood relative to the metabolic demands of the heart muscle.