Medicine Reference Libraries
The New World hookworm (Necator americanus) is a hookworm that can be found in the New World. This species, along with other species in the Nematode phylum, is a parasitic worm that is commonly found in cats, dogs, and humans. Infections from this species are known as Necatoriasis. However, there are two common species of hookworm that infest humans, known as the Old World hookworm (Ancylostoma...
The liver is the organ in charge of processing, neutralizing and excreting certain secretions for the metabolic processes. Formation and Orientation The liver is considered to be both the largest internal organ and the largest gland in the human body. It is situated just below the diaphragm, to the right of the stomach and on top of the gallbladder. There are two ways blood can travel to...
Tracheal intubation (commonly known as intubation) is the placement of a flexible plastic tube into the trachea in order to maintain an open airway or to serve as a conduit through which to administer oxygen or other drugs. It is commonly performed in emergency situations and critically ill or injured patients, but intubation is also used in patients who will be undergoing a lengthy surgery...
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, commonly known as CPR, is an emergency procedure performed in an effort to preserve brain function and manually pump blood through to the body’s vital organs, until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous circulation. CPR is indicated in cardiac arrest patients, but may also be performed on patients with an unresponsive presentation or those...
Intravenous therapy, commonly known as IV therapy, is known as the administration of a liquid substance directly into a vein. It is also known as drip therapy, because most often the liquid is suspended above the IV site by an infusion pump, and runs through a drip chamber, which prevents air from entering the line. IVs are the preferred method of drug administration in hospital settings...
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, also known as ECMO, is best described as long term life support occurring outside the patient’s body. It should be noted, however, that ECMO is temporary and typically lasts three to ten days on average. ECMO is a means of oxygenating blood without it having to circulate inside the body, and thus allows time for essential recovery of the heart and lungs....
Oxygen therapy is known as the administration of oxygen as a medical intervention. It is indicated in patients whose oxygen supply is compromised due to both acute and chronic health conditions and can be administered in many different ways. Oxygen therapy can be administered virtually wherever the patient is. Most commonly, oxygen is delivered to patients in an ambulance, hospital, or...
General surgery is a specialty that concentrates on the esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts and the thyroid gland. This specialty also deals with skin, breast, soft tissue and hernia related diseases. General Surgeons have the opportunity to subspecialize in one or more of the following: Trauma Surgery: Trauma surgery is the specialty that...
Aortography is the study of the specific action involving the ejection of blood from the aorta in the heart. Taking an aortogram from the patient could identify if there is a tear in the intimal wall of the aorta. This tear is eventually fatal but can be repaired in some cases. Procedure A catheter is placed in the aorta of the patient, usually through the femoral artery. Once in place a...
Cryosurgery is the use of extreme cold to remove unhealthy and irregular tissues from the body. Cryosurgery is a non-invasive form of surgery that leaves hardly any scarring, has a low cost and minimal pain. When to Use Cryosurgery Cryosurgery has commonly been used to treat a lot of skin conditions; malignant and benign. It is also used to treat warts, moles, skin tags, solar keratosis,...
