Glossary
- AUTOLOGUS
- a graft in which the donor and recipient area are in the same individual.
- AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
- Involuntary nervous system, also termed the vegetative nervous system. A system of nerve cells whose activities are beyond voluntary control.
- AVASCULAR
- Non-vascular, not provided with blood vessels.
- AVM (ARTERIOVENOUS MALFORMATION)
- Deformity, abnormal shape or structure relating to veins and arteries.
- AXIS
- The vertebral column. The second cervical vertebra, about which the first cervical vertebra rotates, allowing head movement.
- AXON
- The part of a nerve cell that usually sends signals to other nerves or structures.
- BAASTRUP d. (kissing spine)
- False joint formed by wide posterior spinous processes of the lumbar spine. This may become a source of pain.
- BACK PAIN
- nonspecific term used to describe pain below the cervical spine
- BACKBONE
- See Spine.
- BACTERICIDAL
- Causing the death of bacteria.
- BACTERIOSTATIC
- Inhibiting or retarding the growth of bacteria.
- BANKS-DERVIN ROD
- For scoliosis fixation; a multiple level rod that is fixed with oblique spinous process to contralateral lamina screws.
- BELL'S PALSY
- Paralysis of facial muscles (usually one side) due to facial nerve dysfunction of unknown cause.
- BENIGN
- Not cancerous; does not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body.
- BIOABSORBABLE POLYMER
- A substance, such as some plastics, which the human body can break down and absorb.
- BIOCOMPATIBILITY
- A characteristic of some materials that when they are inserted into the body do not produce a significant rejection or immune response.
- BIODEGRADATION
- The breakdown of organic materials into simple chemicals commonly found in the body.
- BIOPSY
- Removal of a small portion of tissue, usually for the purpose of making a diagnosis.
- BLOOD-BRAIN-BARRIER
- The barrier which exists between the blood and the cerebrospinal fluid which prevents the passage of various substances from the bloodstream to the brain.
- BMP-LIKE PRODUCTS
- proteins that enhance mineralization, which can increase bone formation.
- BOHMAN
- Posterior triple spinous process wiring technique in the cervical spine to secure bone graft.
- BONE
- The hard tissue that provides structural support to the body. It is primarily composed of hydroxyapatite crystals and collagen. Individual bones may be classed as long, short, or flat.
- BONE DERIVATIVE
- One of the substances extracted from bone, such as bone morphogenic proteins (BMP).
- BONE GRAFT
- Bone which is harvested from one location in an individual and placed in another individual (allograft bone) or in a different location in the same individual (autogenous bone).
- BONE HARVESTING
- the removal of bone for transplantation to another site. The most common sources are the iliac crests because these bones contain a large amount of cancellous bone, the inner spongy part, which is useful for getting grafts to take.
- BONE MARROW
- The tissue contained within the internal cavities of the bones. A major function of this tissue is to produce red blood cells.
- BONE MORPHOGENETIC PROTEIN-2 (BMP-2)
- one of a family of BMPs- naturally occurring chemicals in the body- that play a major role in bone growth. BMP-like products: proteins that enhance mineralization, which can increase bone formation.
- BONE PLATE
- Usually a relatively thin metal device which is affixed to bone via screws. Bone plates are used to immobilize bones or bone fragments such that healing can occur.
- BONE SCREW
- A threaded metal device which is inserted into bone. The functions of bone screws are to immobilize bones or bone fragments or to affix other medical devices, such as metal bone plates, to bones.
- BOSWORTH
- A fusion using an H-shaped bone graft in spondylolisthesis.
