Glossary
- ANEROLATERAL APPROACH
- An approach to the dorsal spine by rib resection to explore the spine anteriorly and in some cases to do spinal fusions and decompressions spinal cord.
- ANESTHESIA
- Loss of sensation of a body part; or of the body when induced by the administration of a drug.
- ANESTHESIOLOGIST
- Physician who administers pain-killing medications during surgery.
- ANESTHESIOLOGIST
- Physician who administers pain-killing medications during surgery.
- ANEURYSM
- Dilation of an artery, formed by a circumscribed enlargement of its wall. Saccular (berry) aneurysm - sac-like bulging on one side of an artery usually arising at an arterial branching.
- ANGIOGRAM
- A study which shows the blood vessels leading to and in the brain by injecting a dye or contrast substance through a catheter placed in the artery in the leg.
- ANGIOGRAPHY
- Radiography of blood vessels using the injection of material opaque to x-rays to give better definition to the vessels.
- ANGIOMA
- A tumor whose cells tend to form blood vessels (hemangioma) or lymph vessels (lymphangioma).
- ANISOSPONDYLY
- Different abnormal shapes of the vertebral bodies.
- ANKYLOSING SPINAL HYPEROSTOSIS
- Arthritic disorder in which bridgingosteophytes located anteriorly and posteriorly on the vertebral body bind two or more vertebrae together; Forestier disease.
- ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS
- stiffening or fixation of the vertebra; an inflammatory joint disease mainly affecting the spine hips, and pelvis.
- ANNULUS FIBROSUS
- The outer, fibrous, ring-like portion of an intervertebral disc.
- ANOREXIA
- Loss of appetite; a condition marked by loss of appetite leading to weight loss.
- ANOSMIC
- Without the sense of smell.
- ANOXIA
- Total lack of oxygen supply.
- ANTERIOR
- Front of the body or situated nearer the front of the body.
- ANTERIOR APPROACH
- When used to approach the cervical, cervicodorsal, dorsal, and lumbar spines, it is designed to provide sufficient surface for multiple segmental spinal fusions; Hodgson, Roaf. For specific cervical spinal explorations and fusions; Southwick and Robinson, Bailey and Badgley, Whitesides and kelly, Henry (to vertebral artery).
- ANTERIOR CERVICAL DISCECTOMY
- an operation where the cervical spine is reached through a small incision in the front of your neck. After the soft tissues of the neck are separated, the intervertebral disc and bone spurs are removed.
- ANTERIOR CERVICAL DISCECTOMY WITH FUSION
- an operation performed on the upper spine to relieve pressure on one or more nerve roots, or on the spinal cord. The term is derived from the words anterior (front), cervical (neck), and fusion (joining the vertebrae with a bone graft).
- ANTERIOR DISPLACEMENT
- Forward movement of the superior segment on the inferior one.
- ANTERIOR LUMBAR INTERBODY FUSION (ALIF)
- operation where the lumbar spine is approached through an incision in the abdomen. A portion of the affected disc space is removed from the spine and replaced with an implant.
- ANTERIOR SPINAL FUSION
- Approaching the spine from the front, the intervertable disc and/or vertebral body is removed and bone graft is inserted. Some variations of this procedure include the Smith-Robinson, Cloward and dowel procedures.
- ANTERIOR SPURRING
- Ligament turning to bone on anterior side of vertebral body.
- ANTEROLATERAL
- Situated or occurring in front of and to the side.
- ANTI-COAGULANT
- A medication that prevents coagulation of the blood.
- ANTIDIURETIC
- An agent which reduces the output of urine. Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) is formed in the hypothalamus and stored in the posterior pituitary gland. Its secretion reduces urine output.
- AO FIXATEUR INTERNE
- A posteriorly placed spinal fixation device.
- APHASIA
- Difficulty with, or loss of use of language, in any of several ways including reading, writing or speaking. Failure of understanding of the written, printed or spoken word not related to intelligence but to specific lesions in the brain.
- APNEA
- Cessation of respiration; inability to get one's breath.
- APOPLEXY
- A sudden event. Often used as equivalent to stroke.
