Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «E»:
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Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita
Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita: A rare autoimmune skin disease with blisters. In epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) the body attacks its own anchoring fibrils with antibodies. The anchoring filaments (thread-like fibers) are structures that anchor the epidermis to the underlying basement membran...
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Epidermolysis bullosa simplex
Epidermolysis bullosa simplex: A blistering skin condition usually inherited as an autosomal dominant disease. The faulty genes are those that provide instructions for producing keratin, a fibrous protein in the top layer of skin. As a result, the skin splits in the epidermis, producing a blister.
E...
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Epididymis
Epididymis: A structure within the scrotum attached
to the backside of the testis. The epididymis is a coiled segment of the
spermatic ducts that serves to store, mature and transport spermatozoa between the testis
and the vas (the vas deferens)....
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Epididymitis
Epididymitis: Inflammation of the epididymis, a structure
within the scrotum attached to the backside of the testis. The
epididymis is a coiled segment of the spermatic ducts that
serves to store, mature and transport spermatozoa between the testis
and the vas (the vas deferens).
Epididymitis i...
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Epidural
Epidural: Outside the dura, the outermost, toughest, and most fibrous of the three membranes (meninges) covering the brain and the spinal cord. An epidural hematoma is a collection of blood beneath the skull but outside the dura....
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Epidural anesthetic
Epidural anesthetic: An anesthetic agent injected into the epidural space, the space outside the dura -- the outermost, toughest, and most fibrous of the three membranes (meninges) covering the spinal cord
-- in order to bath the spinal nerve roots in the anesthetic agent and numb the lower abdomen...
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Epidural hematoma
Epidural hematoma: A hematoma between the cranium
(skull) and the brain's tissue-like covering, which is
known as the dura. Epidural hematoma is usually caused by a
full-on blow to the head, and is often associated with a
skull fracture. Diagnosis is usually by CAT scan. Treatment
is by trepana...
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Epigastrium
Epigastrium: The part of the abdominal wall above the
umbilicus (belly button). The hypogastrium is the part of the abdominal wall below the
umbilicus. The abdominal wall can thus be divided into upper and lower halves. Or it can
be further divided into quadrants by also drawing a vertical line thro...
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Epigenetic
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Epigenetics
Epigenetics: 1. The study of heritable changes in gene function that occur without a change in the sequence of the DNA. For example:
The process of DNA methylation; and
The process of chromatin remodeling.
2. The study of certain processes that occur in embryonic development. For example:
X i...
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Epiglottis
Epiglottis: The flap that covers the trachea during
swallowing so that food does not enter the lungs.
Not everything in medicine is perfectly logical. The name
epiglottis was compounded from "epi-" and "-
glottis" from the Greek "glotta" meaning
"tongue" s...
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Epiglottitis, acute
Epiglottitis, acute: A very rapidly progressive infection causing inflammation of the epiglottis (the flap that covers the trachea) and tissues around the epiglottis that may lead to abrupt blockage of the upper airway and death.
The infection is usually caused by bacteria (such as Hemophilus influ...
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Epilation
Epilation: Removal of body hair, including the
hair root, by means of electrical device, tweezer, or wax.
Epilation may be performed by a dermatologist, but is more
commonly done for cosmetic purposes by a facial
technologist or esthetician. After epilation the skin may
be particularly sensitiv...
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Epilepsy
Epilepsy (seizure disorder): When
nerve cells in the brain fire electrical impulses at a rate of up to four times higher
than normal, this causes a sort of electrical storm in the brain, known as a seizure. A
pattern of repeated seizures is referred to as epilepsy. Known causes include head
injuries...
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Epilepsy, grand mal
Epilepsy, grand mal: See: Grand mal....
