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Medical Terminology Glossary: [V]
[A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z]Vacuum Extraction Use of a suction cup applied to the fetal scalp and and air-evacuation system to assist and speed up delivery of the fetal head.
Vacuum Extraction Clinical maneouvres, particularly pressure on the eyeballs, back of the throat, testicles and carotid artery in the neck, which result in increased electrical activity in the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system supplying the heart: in some circumstances, this may cause slowing of the heart and/or correction of an arrhythmia.
Vaginal Vault Top of the vagina.
Vaginoplasty Surgical repair or reconstruction of the vagina.
Valsalva Manoeuvre Intentional straining by forced expiration of air against a closed airway.
Valvular Relating to an anatomical valve, in this case a valve of the heart.
Variability (of Fetal Heart Rate) Minute-to-minute variation, signifying healthy responsiveness of the heart to the fetal body's needs.
Variability Fluctuations in the average rate of the fetal heart, reflecting healthy, intact responsiveness of the nerve supply to the heart.
Variable Deceleration (of Fetal Heart Rate) Deceleration with an inconsistent time relationship to contractions of the uterus.
Varicose, of Vein Enlarged in diameter, and in length causing a twisting course.
Varus Angulation of a bone towards the midline.
Vas Deferens One of a pair of tubes carrying sperm from the collecting epididymis of the testis to the urethra in the prostate gland.
Vascular Invasion Encroachment into blood vessels by a pathological process, in this case malignant tumour.
Vascular Relating to blood vessels.
Vasculitis Inflammation of bloodvessels.
Vasectomy Surgical interruption of the continuity of the vas deferens for the purpose of permanent sterilisation.
Vasodilator A medication or other substance which causes reversible increase in the calibre of the small bloodvessels carrying oxygen-rich blood (arterioles).
Vasomotor Relating to control of the muscles varying the diameter of small blood vessels.
Vena Cava, Inferior Main blood-vessel which drains oxygen-poor blood from the lower half of the body to the heart.
Venous Access Route for placement of a needle or catheter into a vein for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.
Venous Return The blood that is travelling back to the heart from the body or lungs.
Venous Infiltration Spread of diseased tissue, in this case malignant tumour, into veins.
Venous Tributary A smaller branch draining waste-products in blood into a larger vein.
Venous Pertaining to one of the larger blood vessels draining blood towards the heart.
Ventilation The process of gas exchange between the air or other inhaled gases and the blood.
Ventral On or towards the front of the body in the anatomical position.
Ventricle One of the two muscular chambers of the heart concerned with the pumping of blood to body excluding the lungs (left ventricle) or to the lungs (right ventricle).
Ventricular Tachycardia Regular heart-rate which originates electrically in the ventricles of the heart and which is so abnormally fast that pumping efficiency is severely compromised, causing breathlessness, intolerance of effort, and eventually heart-failure.
Ventricular Fibrillation Disorganised, rapid contractions of the muscle of the two ventricles [largest chambers] of the heart, incompatible with life.
Vermilion Red part of the lip.
Vertebral Artery One of a pair of arteries carrying oxygen-rich blood from the aorta, up the back of the neck, contributing to the Circle of Willis and supplying predominantly the back of the head and brain, including the cerebellum.
Vertebral Body The cylindrical expansion of the front of each bony ring (vertebra) of the spinal column.
Vertex The topmost point of the vault of the skull.
Vertigo Abnormal sensation of movement within or by the environment.
Vesicle Small (less than 0.5 cm) elevation of the skin containing fluid.
Vesico-Abdominal Fistula Pathological opening between bladder and abdominal wall, causing the accumulation of urine which leaks through the incision or deficiency in the wall.
Vesicoureteral Reflux Free reversal of flow of urine from bladder to ureter, arising from pathological failure of the anatomical valve mechanism between the two.
VesicoVaginal Fistula (VVF) Pathological opening between bladder and vagina, causing constant dribbling of urine.
Vestibular Apparatus The semicircular canals, a paired system of channels containing fluid (perilymph), and their connections to the brain.
Video-assisted Thorocoscopic Surgery (VATS) The chest cavity is entered at multiple sites through small incisions using a lighted videocamera device to localize the lobe of interest; biopsy is undertaken by a cutting and stapling instrument.
Viral Pertaining to, or caused by, viruses.
Vir[a]emia Generalised virus infection (literally virus in the blood).
Virulence The degree or ability of a pathogenic organism to cause disease.
Viscera Internal organs.
Visual Field The entire area of space visible without moving the eye.
Visual Acuity The distance (denominator) at which an optimally-seeing eye can undertake critical discrimination of shapes identifiable by a test eye at a standard distance (numerator), conventionally (20 feet or )6 metres.
Vital Signs Clinical measurements of Temperature (T), Pulse rate (P), Respiratory rate (R) and Blood Pressure (BP).Vitamin E Functions as an antioxidant, binds oxygen free radicals that can cause tissue damage, may also play a protective role in the coronary arteries from the damaging effects of cholesterol.
Vitreous Jelly-like substance located behind the lens of the eye, and providing the majority of its bulk.
Voiding Cystogram Radiographic imaging of the mechanics of urination obtained after the instillation of a dye opaque to xrays into the bladder by way of a urinary catheter.
Volar Pertaining to the palm or sole.
Vomiting, Biliary The presence of bile in the vomit implies that there is bowel obstruction, either mechanical or due to temporary paralysis of the bowel muscle.
Vulva The (greater and lesser) lips of the introitus (entrance to the vagina).
