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May 22, 2013


Rectal Prolapse Glossary of Terms

The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Rectal Prolapse article.

Abdomen: The belly, that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the...

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Abdominal: Relating to the abdomen, the belly, that part of the body that contains all of ...

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Anesthesia: Loss of feeling or awareness, as when an anesthetic is administered before sur...

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Anus: The opening of the rectum to the outside of the body.

Bowel: The small and large intestine.

Calcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored. Calcium is ...

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Chronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ...

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Colon: The long, coiled, tubelike organ that removes water from digested food. The remaini...

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Constipation: Infrequent and frequently incomplete bowel movements. Constipation is the op...

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Cough: A rapid expulsion of air from the lungs, typically in order to clear the lung airwa...

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Cystic fibrosis: A common grave genetic disease that affects the exocrine glands and is ch...

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Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

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Diarrhea: A common condition that involves unusually frequent and liquid bowel movements. ...

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Discharge: 1.The flow of fluid from part of the body, such as from the nose or vag...

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Enema: Liquid injected into the rectum. An enema may be used for therapeutic (such as to s...

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Fecal: Relating to the feces, the stool. The excrement discharged from the intestines.

Fecal incontinence: Inability to hold feces in the rectum. This is due to failure of volun...

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Gastroenterology: The medical specialty devoted to the study, diagnosis and treatment of d...

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Gynecology: The branch of medicine that is particularly concerned with the health of the f...

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Hemorrhoid: A dilated (enlarged) vein in the walls of the anus and sometimes around the re...

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Hemorrhoids: Dilated (enlarged) veins in the walls of the anus and sometimes around the re...

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Incontinence: The inability to control excretions, to hold urine in the bladder, or to kee...

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Internal medicine: The medical specialty dedicated to the diagnosis and medical treatment ...

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Intestine: The long, tubelike organ in the abdomen that completes the process of digestion...

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Intussusception: Infolding (prolapse) of a portion of the intestine within another immedia...

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Large intestine: Comes after the small intestine. Large because it is wider than the smal...

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Morbidity: Illness, disease.

Mucosa: Having to do with a mucous membrane. For example, the oral mucosa.

Mucus: A thick fluid that is produced by the lining of some organs of the body.

Multiple sclerosis: A disease that is characterized by loss of myelin (demyelinization). A...

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Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

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Obstetrics: The art and science of managing pregnancy, labor, and the puerperium (the time...

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Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

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Paralysis: Loss of voluntary movement (motor function). Paralysis that affects only one mu...

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Paraplegia: Paralysis of the lower part of the body, including the legs.

Pelvic: Having to do with the pelvis, the lower part of the abdomen, located between the h...

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Pelvis: The lower part of the abdomen, located between the hip bones. Structures in the fe...

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Perineal: Pertaining to the perineum.

Perineum: The area between the anus and the scrotum in the male and between the anus and t...

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Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

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Phosphate: A form of phosphoric acid. Calcium phosphate makes bones and teeth hard.

Posterior: The back or behind, as opposed to the anterior.

Predispose: To make more likely or render susceptible. Smoking predisposes to a number of ...

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Pregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the female body. Thi...

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Prevalence: The proportion of individuals in a population having a disease or characterist...

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Pulmonary: Having to do with the lungs.

Rectocele: Bulging of the front wall of the rectum into the vagina. Rectocele is due to we...

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Rectum: The last 6 to 8 inches of the large intestine. The rectum stores solid waste until...

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Recurrence: The return of a sign, symptom, or disease after a remission. The reappearance ...

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Resection: Surgical removal of part of an organ.

Sclerosis: Localized hardening of skin. Sclerosis is generally caused by underlying diseas...

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Sodium: The major positive ion (cation) in the fluid surrounding cells in the body. The ch...

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Stage: As regards cancer, the extent of a cancer, especially whether the disease has spre...

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Stool: The solid matter that is discharged in a bowel movement.

Strain: 1. An injury to a tendon or muscle resulting from overuse or trauma. 2. A heredita...

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Stress: In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or emotional fact...

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Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

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Vagina: The muscular canal that extends from the cervix to the outside of the body. It is ...

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Whooping cough: Also known as pertussis, this is a feared infectious disease that can stri...

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