Category: W

Widespread blood clotting, usually in several veins and arteries at once, that is associated with thrombocytopenia. Caused by an adverse immune reaction to heparin, the condition is often life threatening.  

A sound produced by pursing one’s lips and blowing.  

A bedside estimate of hearing impairment in which the examiner stands 2 ft from one of the patient’s ears and whispers a number followed by a letter. An approximate 30 dB hearing loss is suggested by inability to hear paired numbers and letters, especially if the patient fails to detect several pairs of them. A…

Speech with a low, soft voice; a low, sibilant sound.  

A colloquial term for a fishy odor that is released when a vaginal swab is mixed with potassium hydroxide (KOH). A positive test is suggestive of bacterial vaginosis.  

A disk attached through its middle to an axle that rotates. In dentistry, small wheels are attached to a handpiece or lathe, and used for polishing and shaping teeth, restorations, and appliances.  

An electric circuit with two branches, each containing two resistors. These branches are joined to complete the circuit. If the resistance in three resistors is known, the resistance of the fourth, unknown, one can be calculated.  

Any of various cereal grasses, widely cultivated for its edible grain used in making flour. Wheat preparations and pastas include macaroni, vermicelli, and noodles, which are made from flour and water, molded, dried, and slightly baked. They are easy to digest. The staple grain cultivated across numerous regions of the world, serving as a vital…

The response within 10 to 15 min to an antigen injected into the skin. The injected skin elevates and blanches, and becomes surrounded by a red rim of inflamed tissue.  

An autosomal dominant syndrome characterized by short stature and dental anomalies, nail dystrophy, and polydactyly. Some geneticists consider it a variant of Ellis-van Creveld syndrome.