Seven Patients
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Eschar: A piece of dead tissue that is usually black.
Excoriated: Damage or remove part of the surface of the skin.
Exenterate: To remove the eye and associated skin, muscle, and superficial bone.
Exsanguinate: To lose a severe amount of blood.
Extubation: Remove an endotracheal tube (one used for artificial respirations during anesthesia or on a ventilator).
Formalin: Used as a disinfectant and for preservation of biological specimens.
French: Used to size catheters in medicine, dividing the French by 3 gives the diameter equivalent in millimeters.
Fulminant: Intense and severe to the point of lethality.
Genetic Immunoglobulin Abnormalities: Abnormalities with the body’s ability to make antibodies to fend off infections (numerous varieties).
Gentamicin: A very toxic antibiotic.
Grand Mal: Big seizure.
Hadrian’s Wall: An ancient defensive wall built in Great Britian.
Hand: Unit of measurement equal to 4 inches.
Hematocrit: The volume percentage of red blood cells in blood.
Hematoma: A blood filled cyst.
Hematuria: Blood in urine.
Hemoglobin: Iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen.
Hemostats: Metal clamps used in surgery to stop vessels from bleeding.
Hemothorax: Blood in the thoracic cavity where it doesn’t belong.
Heparin: Very potent blood thinner.
Hepatitis C: Virus that infects the liver and can cause cirrhosis and failure, no vaccine available, much more infections than HIV.
Herniation: When tissue protrudes through an abnormal bodily opening.
Hydronephrosis: Kidney obstruction causing it to enlarge.
Hypovolemia: Inadequate fluid in the circulatory system (dehydration).
Immuno-compromised: Weakened immune system (HIV/AIDS, high dose steroids, etc …).
Infiltrated (IV): When an IV fluid leaks into soft tissues instead of the vein in which it was placed.
Intravitreal: To place something into the vitreous (back) cavity of the eyeball.
Intubate: To place a breathing tube into a person’s trachea.
Kaposi’s Sarcoma: Cancerous tumor of connective tissue associated with AIDS.
Kocher maneuver: A surgical maneuver to expose structures in the retroperitoneum behind the duodenum and pancreas.
Kuru: An incurable degenerative neurological disorder caused by a prion (linked to cannibalism).
Laparotomy: A surgical procedure involving a large incision through the abdominal wall to gain access into the abdominal cavity.
Lipo-dystrophic: A medical condition characterized by abnormal or degenerative conditions of the body's adipose tissue, sometimes in odd distribution patterns.
Liver bomb: A sick liver patient that is likely to require intensive care and take weeks or months before they leave the hospital, every interns worst nightmare (also known as a rock on the service).
Manometer: An instrument used to measure pressure.
Metastasis: Typically a cancer that has spread to other parts of the body from its origin.
Microsporidial: Eukaryotic spore forming obligate intracellular parasites.
Micturate: Fancy word for urinate.
Midline shift: When a bleed or other pressure (tumore) causes one side of the brain to shift past the midline an onto the other side.
Myiasis: Infection by maggots.
Naso-gastric: A tube/cannula going through the nose into the stomach.
Naso-tracheal tube: A tube/cannula going from the nose into the trachea (used to help a patient breathe or undergo artificial respirations).
Necrolysis (or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis): It is characterized by the detachment of the top layer of skin (epidermis) from the lower layers of the skin (dermis) all over the body.
Nephrotoxic: Damaging to the kidneys.
Nissen fundoplication: A surgical procedure to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Non-rebreather: A mask providing high concentrations of oxygen.
Normal saline: 0.9% saline solution, usually for IV use.
Nosocomial: Infection caught from the hospital (usually bad).
Onychomycosis: Fungal nail infection.
Orbital: The bony cavity which surrounds the eyeball.
Oxycontin: Very strong narcotic, high abuse potential.
Palliative: Relieving or soothing the symptoms of a disease or disorder without effecting a cure.
Palpation: To feel or touch something.
Parenteral: Introduction of nutrition, a medication, or other substance into the body via a route other than the gastro-intestinal tract (usually tough an IV).
Parkinson’s: A brain disorder that leads to tremors and difficulty with walking, movement, and coordination.
Percocet: A strong oral narcotic drug, often abused.
Pharynx: Part of the throat situated immediately behind the mouth and nasal cavity, and superior to the esophagus (where tonsils are located).
Pimps: Questions asked to lower level trainees, known as “pimping.”
Pleurisy: Inflammation of the lining of the lungs and chest.
Pneumocystis jirovecii: Yeast-like fungus causing lung infection in those with AIDS.
Pneumothorax: Is the collection of air in the space around the lungs (i.e.—collapsed lung).
Prosthesis: Fake limb, eye, etc …
Pustular: Inflammatory skin condition with rupturing pus filled cysts.
Renal: Kidney.
Resect: To cut our or remove surgically.
Retinitis: Infection or inflammation of the retina.
Retractor: Something used in surgery to hold tissues out of the operative or surgical field.
Scrubbing: The act of washing before entering the operating room prior to surgery.
Shaken Baby Syndrome: When a small child is shaken and found to have brain and retinal bleeding, usually in conjunction with broken bones.
Sodium amytal: Commonly used as ‘truth serum.’ Only moderately successful.
Spinous processes: The bumps one can feel if they run their hand down their spine. Attachment sites for muscles.
Splenectomy: Removal of spleen.
Squamous cell: A type of cancer, usually confined to the skin.
Staph: A type of bacteria that is very common and getting resistant to many drugs.
Sternal: Center of the chest where the ribs join.
Stone: Unit of measurement equal to 14 lbs.
Subdural: Space in between the skull and the dura matter.
Thoracic: Upper back.
Thrombosis: A blood clot.
Thrush: Fungus (usually Candida) that occurs in the mouth.
Toradol: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication that is very strong.
Trach: Short for tracheostomy.
Tracheostomy: Usually an emergency procedure used to create an opening in the neck to bypass an obstructed airway.
Troponin: Laboratory used to check for a heart attack.
Tuberculosis: Infection that typically occurs in underdeveloped countries and affects the lungs.
Viral load: Number of actively replicating viruses during acute infection.
Whipple: A type of major surgery used to treat/cure pancreatic cancer.
Xanax: More potent but shorter acting Valium.
Yankauer: Type of suction used in surgery.
Zosyn: A powerful broad spectrum antibiotic.
Table of Contents
Chapter One: Shaken
Chapter Two: Two Enter, One Leaves
Chapter Three: Pancreatic Scare
Chapter Four: Myiasis
Chapter Five: High Five
Chapter Six: Holey Man
Appendix 1: Acronyms
Appendix 2: Definitions
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