Jennifer Worth - In the Midst of Life

Bladder irrigation:certain conditions can cause a blockage of the urethra, e.g. in prostatectomy, bleeding is prevented from blocking the urethra by passing a large catheter, which has two drainage lines, into the bladder: one allows sterile saline to be flushed into the bladder, and the other allows the saline and bladder contents to drain out.

Blood count:a general term referring to the counts of different elements of the blood, such as red blood cells, urea or potassium. BMA:British Medical Association.

Brompton cocktail:a concoction of many different types of drugs often given to terminally ill patients to alleviate pain.

Bronchitis:inflammation of the bronchi, the smallest breathing passages in the lungs.

Cannula:a very thin tube, thinner than a catheter, which can be inserted into the body, e.g. into a vein.

Carcinogenic:something which causes cancer, e.g. tar in cigarettes is a known carcinogenic.

Cardiac stimulants:drugs which stimulate the heart to work correctly.

Cardiologist:a medical specialist in conditions and problems with the heart.

Cardio-pulmonary:pertaining to the heart and lungs.

Cardiovascular:pertaining to the heart and circulation system.

Carotid beat:the pulse felt from the carotid artery, in the neck.

Catheterise:to place a catheter, which is a small tube, into the body, e.g. a bladder catheter to help drain urine, a kidney catheter to help drain urine directly from the kidneys.

Central line:a small tube inserted into the one of the large veins leading to the heart. Drugs can be administered into this, and blood samples taken from it.

Cerebral arteries:the arteries in the brain.

Chemotherapy:strong poisons used to destroy fast-dividing cells. Since cancer cells normally grow much more quickly than normal cells, chemotherapy may effectively kill them. However some chemotherapy cannot discern between the cancer’s fast-dividing cells and normal fast-dividing cells, e.g. gut cells, hair cells. This is why some chemotherapy causes nausea, mouth ulcers, diarrhoea and hair loss. These drugs are dose-limiting: i.e. a person can only have so much of a certain drug at a time.

Cholera:gastroenteritis caused by bacteria. It results in severe diarrhoea. The disease can progress very quickly resulting in shock within twelve hours from severe dehydration. It is extremely contagious.

Clot-buster:a drug to dissolve any clots which have formed in the blood vessels.

Colitis:inflammation of the colon, the large bowel.

Colostomy:when the bowel is surgically attached to the skin so that faeces are excreted into a bag which can then be emptied.

Congestive heart failure:heart failure is when the heart, which is a large muscle, begins to enlarge and get weaker through age or disease. This means it has to work harder to maintain normal heart function. The disease can be controlled at times by certain drugs.

Coronary arteries:the arteries of the heart. There are four arteries which supply the heart muscle with oxygen. Coronary failure:another term for heart failure. CPR: short for cardio-pulmonary resuscitation:the full term for resuscitation.

Craniotomy:removal of part of the skull bone during a surgical procedure to the brain.

Cross-matching:this is a process which is carried out to make sure the person is given the right type of blood during a blood transfusion.

Cyanosis:lack of oxygen in the body’s tissues leading to a blue colour in extremities.

Defensive medicine:medicine and treatment carried out to prevent complaints and safeguard against malpractice.

Defibrillator:a machine which delivers electric shocks to the heart, to try and reverse fibrillation of the heart muscle.

Dementia:a disease which causes the brain to begin to degenerate. There are over two hundred different types of dementia, the most common being Alzheimer’s. The disease is not curable.

Dialyse:pertaining to kidney dialysis, a process where the blood is mechanically filtered because the kidneys are unable to perform this function.

Diuretics:drugs which increase the drainage of urine out of the kidneys, often used to reduce blood volume, e.g. in high blood pressure and heart failure.

Draining filaments:a drain where the end is frayed out into filaments: used to drain wounds or wound cavities.

Duodenal ulcer:an area of the duodenum, which becomes very sore and excoriated. This can cause pain, indigestion and nausea.

Duodenum:first part of the small bowel leading away from the stomach.

Electrolyte balance:electrolytes are substances produced by the body which maintain healthy functioning. Certain electrolytes include potassium and sodium. If the levels become abnormal such as in kidney dysfunction many of the body’s otherwise normal functions may go wrong.

Embolism / embolus / emboli:an object migrating from one part of the body to another which occludes a blood vessel, e.g. blood clot.

Encapsulated:a growth confined to a specific, localised area.

Endogenous clinical depression:depression that people are born with. It is thought it may be genetic.

Endomorphs:endorphins, the body’s natural morphine-like substances which give the ‘feel good’ factor.

Endotracheal tube:a tube placed into the lungs via the mouth and throat. It may be used during surgery to help a person breathe. It is usually temporary.

Epiglottis:a cartilaginous flap of skin which lies between the trachea and the gullet. When swallowing food, saliva or fluid, the epiglottis closes over the trachea to prevent food going in to the lungs.

Erythrocyte sedimentation rates:the rate at which red blood cells precipitate within an hour. ESR is a general test indicating the presence of inflammation within the body.

Excoriated:when skin becomes raw, sore, and the top layers are removed.

Exudate:a fluid that filters from the circulatory system into lesions or areas of inflammation.

Feed-pegs: or peg tubes:tubes inserted directly into the stomach through the skin which can allow liquid feed to be given to the patient. Useful when patients lose the ability to swallow such as after a stroke.

Fehlings solution:used to detect sugar in the urine.

Fibrillating:when the heart muscle is rapidly twitching in an uncoordinated way.

Flavine gauze:gauze soaked in flavine, an antiseptic.

Gastrectomy or gastric resection:this is when part or the whole of the stomach is removed.

Gastric intubation and suction:A tube inserted through the person’s nose into their stomach (called a naso-gastric tube) which can then be used to drain the fluids away more comfortably and cleanly. A syringe can be attached to the tube and used to remove the stomach’s contents by ‘suction’.

Gastro-enterologist:a specialist in the gastro-intestinal tract, digestion and its disorders.

Glucose and saline infusion:(see ‘infusion’ as well) an infusion into the vein of a mix of weak saline (salt) and glucose (sugar) solution.