Coronary artery bypass graft Health Dictionary

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

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft: From 1 Different Sources

(CABG) *coronary revascularization in which a segment of a coronary artery narrowed by atheroma is bypassed by an *autologous section of healthy saphenous vein or internal mammary artery at *thoracotomy. The improved blood flow resulting from one or more such grafts relieves *angina pectoris and reduces the risk of *myocardial infarction. Recently developed techniques of *minimally invasive surgery have enabled the operation to be performed without the need for thoracotomy.

Health Source: Oxford | Concise Colour Medical Dictionary
Author: Jonathan Law, Elizabeth Martin

Bone Graft

See BONE TRANSPLANT.... bone graft

Cardiopulmonary Bypass

A procedure in which the body’s circulation of blood is kept going when the heart is intentionally stopped to enable heart surgery to be carried out. A HEART-LUNG MACHINE substitutes for the heart’s pumping action and the blood is oxygenated at the same time.... cardiopulmonary bypass

Corneal Graft

Also known as keratoplasty. If the cornea (see EYE) becomes damaged or diseased and vision is impaired, it can be removed and replaced by a corneal graft. The graft is taken from the cornea of a human donor. Some of the indications for corneal grafting include keratoconus (conicalshaped cornea), corneal dystrophies, severe corneal scarring following HERPES SIMPLEX, and alkali burns or other injury. Because the graft is a foreign protein, there is a danger that the recipient’s immune system may set up a reaction causing rejection of the graft. Rejection results in OEDEMA of the graft with subsequent poor vision. Once a corneal graft has been taken from a donor, it should be used as quickly as possible. Corneas can be stored for days in tissue-culture medium at low temperature. A small number of grafts are autografts in which a patient’s cornea is repositioned.

The Department of Health has drawn up a list of suitable eye-banks to which people can apply to bequeath their eyes, and an o?cial form is now available for the bequest of eyes. (See also DONORS; TRANSPLANTATION.)... corneal graft

Coronary Thrombosis

See HEART, DISEASES OF.... coronary thrombosis

Bypass Operation

A technique by which narrowing or blockage of an artery (see ARTERIES), vein (see VEINS) or a section of the gastrointestinal tract is bypassed using surgery. Arterial blockages – usually caused by ATHEROSCLEROSIS – in the carotid, coronary or iliofemoral arteries are bypassed utilising sections of artery or vein taken from elsewhere in the patient. Tumour growths in the intestines are sometimes too large to remove and can be bypassed by linking up those parts of the intestines on each side of the growth.... bypass operation

Coronary

A term applied to several structures in the body encircling an organ in the manner of a crown. The coronary arteries are the arteries of supply to the HEART which arise from the aorta, just beyond the aortic valve, and through which the blood is delivered to the muscle of the heart. Disease of the coronary arteries is a very serious condition producing various abnormal forms of heart action and the disorder, ANGINA PECTORIS.... coronary

Coronary Angioplasty

A technique of dilating atheromatous obstructions (see ATHEROMA) in CORONARY ARTERIES by inserting a catheter with a balloon on the end into the affected artery (see also CATHETERS). It is passed through the blockage (guided by X-ray FLUOROSCOPY) and in?ated. The procedure can be carried out through a percutaneous route.... coronary angioplasty

Coronary Arteries

(See also HEART.) The right coronary artery arises from the right aortic sinus and passes into the right atrio-ventricular groove to supply the right ventricle, part of the intraventricular septum and the inferior part of the left ventricle. The left coronary artery arises from the left sinus and divides into an anterior descending branch which supplies the septum and the anterior and apical parts of the heart, and the circum?ex branch which passes into the left atrio-ventricular groove and supplies the lateral posterior surfaces of the heart. Small anastomoses exist between the coronary arteries and they have the potential of enlarging if the blood-?ow through a neighbouring coronary artery is compromised. Coronary artery disease is damage to the heart caused by the narrowing or blockage of these arteries. It commonly presents as ANGINA PECTORIS or acute myocardial infarction (see HEART, DISEASES OF).... coronary arteries

Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty

A treatment for a stenosed (restricted) coronary artery (see ARTERIES). A balloon-tipped catheter (see CATHETERS) is passed through an incision in the skin of the chest into the artery of the HEART that has developed stenosis (narrowing). The balloon is aligned with the stenosed section and then in?ated to dilate the coronary artery and allow the blood to ?ow more freely.... percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Graft

The term applied to a piece of tissue removed from one person or animal and implanted in another, or the same, individual in order to remedy some defect. Skin grafts are commonly used, and arti?cial skin for grafting has recently been developed. Bone grafts are also used to replace bone which has been lost by disease: for example, a portion of rib is sometimes removed in order to furnish support for a spine weakened by disease, after removal of the damaged bone. Also, the bone of young animals is used to a?ord additional growth and strength to a limb-bone which it has been necessary to remove in part on account of disease or injury. Research is also underway on arti?cal bone. Vein grafts are used to replace stretches of arteries which have become blocked, particularly in the heart and lower limbs. The veins most commonly used for this purpose are the saphenous veins of the individual in question, provided they are healthy. An alternative is specially treated umbilical vein. (See SKINGRAFTING.)

When a replacement organ, such as kidney, heart or liver, is ‘grafted’ into someone’s body, it called a ‘transplant’ (see TRANSPLANTATION).... graft

Radial Artery

This artery arises from the brachial artery at the level of the neck of the radius. It passes down the forearm to the wrist, where it is easily palpated laterally. It then winds around the wrist to the palm of the hand to supply the ?ngers. (See ARTERIES.)... radial artery

Temporal Artery

A branch of the external carotid artery that is the main vessel supplying blood to the temple and scalp.... temporal artery

Artery

A blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart. Systemic arteries carry blood pumped from the left ventricle of the heart to all parts of the body except the lungs. The largest systemic artery is the aorta, which emerges from the left ventricle; other major systemic arteries branch off from the aorta. The pulmonary arteries carry blood from the right ventricle to the lungs.

Arteries are tubes with thick, elastic, muscular walls able to withstand the high pressure of blood flow. The structure of arteries helps to even out the peaks and troughs of blood pressure caused by the heartbeat, so that the blood is kept flowing at a relatively constant pressure. (See also arteries, disorders of.)... artery

Brachial Artery

The artery that runs down the inner side of the upper arm, between the armpit and the elbow.... brachial artery

Coronary Care Unit

A specialist ward for the care of acutely ill patients who may be suffering, or who have suffered, a myocardial infarction (heart attack) or another serious cardiovascular disorder.... coronary care unit

Femoral Artery

A major blood vessel that supplies oxygenated blood to the leg. The femoral artery is formed in the pelvis from the iliac artery (the terminal branch of the aorta). It then runs from the groin, down in front of the thigh, and passes behind the knee to become the popliteal artery, which branches again to supply the lower leg.... femoral artery

Coronary Heart Disease

The cause of: coronary occlusion, coronary blockage, coronary thrombosis. A heart attack occurs when a coronary artery becomes blocked by swellings composed, among other things, of cholesterol. Such swellings may obstruct the flow of blood leading to a blood clot (thrombus). Cholesterol is a major cause of CHD.

Coronary thrombosis is more common in the West because of its preference for animal fats; whereas in the East fats usually take the form of vegetable oils – corn, sunflower seed, sesame, etc. Fatty deposits (atheroma) form in the wall of the coronary artery, obstructing blood-flow. Vessels narrowed by atheroma and by contact with calcium and other salts become hard and brittle (arterio-sclerosis) and are easily blocked. Robbed of oxygen and nutrients heart muscle dies and is replaced by inelastic fibrous (scar) tissue which robs the heart of its maximum performance.

Severe pain and collapse follow a blockage. Where only a small branch of the coronary arterial tree is affected recovery is possible. Cause of the pain is lack of oxygen (Vitamin E). Incidence is highest among women over 40 who smoke excessively and who take The Pill.

The first warning sign is breathlessness and anginal pain behind the breastbone which radiates to arms and neck. Sensation as if the chest is held in a vice. First-line agent to improve flow of blood – Cactus.

For cholesterol control target the liver. Coffee is a minor risk factor.

Measuring hair calcium levels is said to predict those at risk of coronary heart disease. Low hair concentrations may be linked with poor calcium metabolism, high aortic calcium build-up and the formation of plagues. (Dr Allan MacPherson, nutritionist, Scottish Agricultural College, Ayr, Scotland)

Evidence has been advanced that a diagonal ear lobe crease may be a predictor for coronary heart disease. (American Journal of Cardiology, Dec. 1992)

Tooth decay is linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease and mortality, particularly in young men. (Dr Frank De Stefano, Marshfield Medical Research Foundation, Wisconsin, USA) Treatment. Urgency. Send for doctor or suitably qualified practitioner. Absolute bedrest for 3 weeks followed by 3 months convalescence. Thereafter: adapt lifestyle to slower tempo and avoid undue exertion. Stop smoking. Adequate exercise. Watch weight.

Cardiotonics: Motherwort, Hawthorn, Mistletoe, Rosemary. Ephedra, Lily of the Valley, Broom.

Cardiac vasodilators relax tension on the vessels by increasing capacity of the arteries to carry more blood. Others contain complex glycosides that stimulate or relax the heart at its work. Garlic is strongly recommended as a preventative of CHD.

Hawthorn, vasodilator and anti-hypertensive, is reputed to dissolve deposits in thickened and sclerotic arteries BHP (1983). It is believed to regulate the balance of lipids (body fats) one of which is cholesterol.

Serenity tea. Equal parts: Motherwort, Lemon Balm, Hawthorn leaves or flowers. 1 heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 5-15 minutes; 1 cup freely.

Decoction. Combine equal parts: Broom, Lily of the Valley, Hawthorn. 1-2 teaspoons to each cup water gently simmered 20 minutes. Half-1 cup freely.

Tablets/capsules. Hawthorn, Motherwort, Cactus, Mistletoe, Garlic.

Practitioner. Formula. Hawthorn 20ml; Lily of the Valley 10ml; Pulsatilla 5ml; Stone root 5ml; Barberry 5ml. Tincture Capsicum 1ml. Dose: Powders: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one-third teaspoon). Liquid extracts: 1 teaspoon. Tinctures: 2 teaspoons. Thrice daily in water or honey.

Prevention: Vitamin E – 400iu daily.

Diet. See: DIET – HEART AND CIRCULATION.

Supplements. Daily. Vitamin C, 2g. Vitamin E possesses anti-clotting properties, 400iu. Broad spectrum multivitamin and mineral including chromium, magnesium selenium, zinc, copper.

Acute condition. Strict bed-rest; regulate bowels; avoid excessive physical and mental exertion. Meditation and relaxation techniques dramatically reduce coronary risk. ... coronary heart disease

Graft-versus-host Disease

A complication of a bone marrow transplant in which immune system cells in the transplanted marrow attack the recipient’s tissues. Graft-versus-host (GVH) disease may occur soon after transplantation or appear some months later. The first sign is usually a skin rash. This may be followed by diarrhoea, abdominal pain, jaundice, inflammation of the eyes and mouth, and breathlessness.

GVH disease can usually be prevented by administration of immunosuppressant drugs. If the disease develops, it can be treated with corticosteroid drugs and immunosuppressant drugs such as ciclosporin In some cases, however, it can be difficult to control.... graft-versus-host disease

Retinal Artery Occlusion

Blockage of an artery supplying blood to the retina, most commonly due to thrombosis or embolism, The disorder can result in permanent blindness or loss of part of the field of vision, depending on the artery affected and whether or not the condition can be treated quickly enough.... retinal artery occlusion

Carotid Artery

Any of the main arteries of the neck and head. There are 2 common carotid arteries (left and right), each of which divides into 2 main branches (internal and external).

The left carotid arises from the aorta and runs up the neck on the left side of the trachea (windpipe). The right carotid arises from the subclavian artery (which branches off the aorta) and follows a similar route on the right side of the

neck. Just above the level of the larynx (voice-box), each carotid artery divides to form an external carotid artery and an internal carotid artery. The external arteries have multiple branches that supply most tissues in the face, scalp, mouth, and jaws; the internal arteries enter the skull to supply the brain and eyes. At the base of the brain, branches of the 2 internal carotids and the basilar artery join to form a ring of vessels called the circle of Willis. Narrowing of these vessels may be associated with transient ischaemic attack (TIA); obstruction of them causes a stroke. carpal tunnel syndrome Numbness, tingling, and pain in the thumb, index finger, and middle fingers caused by compression of the median nerve at the wrist. Symptoms may be worse at night. The condition results from pressure on the nerve where it passes into the hand via a gap (the “carpal tunnel’’) under a ligament at the front of the wrist. It is common among keyboard users. It also occurs without obvious cause in middleaged women, and is associated with pregnancy, initial use of oral contraceptives, premenstrual syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, myxoedema, and acromegaly.

The condition often disappears without treatment.

Persistent symptoms may be treated with a corticosteroid drug injected under the ligament, or the ligament may be cut to relieve pressure on the nerve.... carotid artery

Coronary Artery Disease

Narrowing of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart, leading to damage or malfunction of the heart. The most common heart disorders due to coronary artery disease are angina pectoris and myocardial infarction (heart attack). The usual cause of narrowing of the arteries is atherosclerosis, in which fatty plaques develop on the artery linings. The vessel can become totally blocked if a blood clot forms or lodges in the narrowed area. Atherosclerosis has many interrelated causes including smoking, a high-fat diet, lack of exercise, being overweight, and raised blood cholesterol levels. Other factors include a genetic predisposition and diseases such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

The first symptom of coronary artery disease is frequently the chest pain of angina. Treatment is with drugs such as glyceryl trinitrate and other nitrate drugs, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, potassium channel activators, and vasodilator drugs. If drug treatment fails to relieve the symptoms, or there is extensive narrowing of the coronary

arteries, blood flow may be improved by balloon angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery.... coronary artery disease

Skin Graft

A technique used to repair areas of lost or damaged skin that are too large to heal naturally, that are slow

to heal, or that would leave tethering or unsightly scars. A skin graft is often used in the treatment of burns or sometimes for nonhealing ulcers. A piece of healthy skin is detached from one part of the body and transferred to the affected area. New skin cells grow from the graft and cover the damaged area. In a meshed graft, donor skin is removed and made into a mesh by cutting. The mesh is stretched to fit the recipient site; new skin cells grow to fill the spaces in the mesh. In a pinch graft, multiple small areas of skin are pinched up and removed from the donor site. Placed on the recipient site, they gradually expand to form a new sheet of healthy skin. (See also skin flap.)... skin graft

Coronary Artery Vein Bypass Grafting (cavbg)

When coronary arteries, narrowed by disease, cannot supply the heart muscle with su?cient blood, the cardiac circulation may be improved by grafting a section of vein from the leg to bypass the obstruction. Around 10,000 people in the United Kingdom have this operation annually and the results are usually good. It is a major procedure that lasts several hours and requires the heart to be stopped temporarily, with blood circulation and oxygenation taken over by a HEART-LUNG MACHINE.... coronary artery vein bypass grafting (cavbg)

Coronary Care Unit (ccu)

A specialised hospital unit equipped and sta?ed to provide intensive care (see INTENSIVE THERAPY UNIT (ITU)) for patients who have had severe heart attacks or undergone surgery on the heart.... coronary care unit (ccu)

Graft Versus Host Disease (gvhd)

A condition that is a common complication of BONE MARROW transplant (see TRANSPLANTATION). It results from certain LYMPHOCYTES in the transplanted marrow attacking the transplant recipient’s tissues, which they identify as ‘foreign’. GVHD may appear soon after a transplant or develop several months later. The condition, which is fatal in about a third of victims, may be prevented by immunosuppressant drugs such as ciclosporin.... graft versus host disease (gvhd)

Intracoronary Artery Stenting

A narrowed or blocked coronary artery (see ARTERIES) can compromise the blood supply to the heart muscle (see HEART, DISEASES OF). A supportive tube or stent passed into each affected artery can restore the blood supply. The stent has a HEPARIN coating to stop blood clots from forming. Since it was ?rst performed in 1987, intracoronary stents have cut the reblockage rate from one in three patients who have had coronary ANGIOPLASTY to fewer than one in ten in cases where a stent was used with angioplasty.... intracoronary artery stenting

Skin-grafting

An operation in which large breaches of SKIN surface due to wounding, burns or ulceration are closed by TRANSPLANTATION of skin from other parts. There are three methods by which this is done. Most frequently the epidermis only is transplanted, using a method introduced by Reverdin and by Thiersch, and known by their names. For this purpose, a broad strip of epidermis is shaved o? the thigh or upper arm, after the part has been carefully sterilised, and is transferred bodily to the raw or ulcerated surface, or is cut into smaller strips and laid upon it. A second method is for small pieces of the skin in its whole thickness to be removed from the arm and thigh, or even from other people, and then implanted and bound upon the raw surface. (This method has the disadvantage that the true skin must contract at the spot from which the graft is taken, leaving an unsightly scar.) When very large areas require to be covered, a third method is commonly used. A large ?ap of skin, amply su?cient to cover the gap, is raised from a neighbouring or distant part of the body, in such a way that it remains attached along one margin, so that blood vessels can still enter and nourish it. It is then turned so as to cover the gap; or, if it be situated on a distant part, the two parts are brought together and ?xed in this position until the ?ap grows ?rmly to its new bed. The old connection of the ?ap is then severed, leaving it growing in its new place.

Researchers are having success in growing human skin in the laboratory for grafting on to people who have been badly burned and have insu?cient intact skin surface to provide an autologous graft (one provided by the recipient of the graft). Other techniques being researched are the use of specially treated shark skin and the production of arti?cial skin.... skin-grafting

Thiersch’s Graft

The term given to a method of SKIN-GRAFTING (see also GRAFT) in which strips of skin are shaved from a normal area and placed on a burned, injured or scarred area to be grafted.... thiersch’s graft

Coronary Artery

Either of the 2 main arteries that supply the tissues of the heart with oxygen-rich blood. These are

known as the left and right main coronary arteries and arise directly from the aorta. The term coronary artery is also applied to any of the arteries that branch off from the main coronary arteries, such as the left circumflex artery and the left anterior descending artery. Blockage of a coronary artery as a result of atherosclerosis can lead to myocardial infarction.

(See also coronary artery disease.)... coronary artery

Coronary Artery Bypass

A major heart operation to bypass narrowed or blocked coronary arteries using additional blood vessels (such as a mammary artery) to improve blood flow to the heart muscle. This operation is used when symptoms of coronary artery disease have not been relieved by drugs or balloon angioplasty.

Before surgery, sites of blockage in the arteries are identified using angiography. In some cases, minimally invasive surgery can be used, avoiding the need to stop the heart and use a heart–lung machine during the operation. The long term outlook after a bypass is good, but the grafted vessels may also eventually become blocked by atherosclerosis.... coronary artery bypass

Bypass Operations

Procedures to bypass the blockage or narrowing of an artery or vein or any part of the digestive system. Arteries can become blocked or narrowed in atherosclerosis. Obstructions can be bypassed using sections of healthy artery or vein from elsewhere in the body or using synthetic tubing. Veins are bypassed most often in patients with diseases of the liver that cause portal hypertension and bleeding oesophageal varices. This kind of bypass is called a shunt. Intestinal bypasses are employed most commonly in patients with cancer in which tumour growth is too extensive to be removed. An obstructed bile duct can be bypassed by constructing a new opening into the digestive tract. (See also coronary artery bypass.)... bypass operations

Acute Coronary Syndrome

a combination of angina (unstable or stable), non-S–T elevation *myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and S–T elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). It implies the presence of coronary artery disease.... acute coronary syndrome

Basilar Artery

an artery in the base of the brain, formed by the union of the two vertebral arteries. It extends from the lower to the upper border of the pons Varolii and then divides to form the two posterior cerebral arteries.... basilar artery

Brachiocephalic Artery

see innominate artery.... brachiocephalic artery

Grafting

The process of transplanting healthy tissue from one part of the body to another (autografting), from one person to another (allografting), or from an animal to a person (xenografting).

Grafting is used to repair or replace diseased, damaged, or defective tissues or organs. The most common operations of this type are skin graft, bone graft, bone marrow transplant, corneal graft, kidney transplant, heart transplant, liver transplant, heart–lung transplant, heartvalve surgery, and microsurgery on blood vessels and nerves.

With autografting, the grafted tissue is usually assimilated well into the surrounding tissue at the new site.

The general risks of tissue rejection following other forms of grafting are discussed in transplant surgery.... grafting

Bypass

n. a surgical procedure to divert the flow of blood or other fluid from one anatomical structure to another; a *shunt. A bypass can be temporary or permanent and is commonly performed in the treatment of cardiac and gastrointestinal disorders. See also cardiopulmonary bypass; coronary artery bypass graft.... bypass

Carotid Artery Stenosis

(carotid stenosis) narrowing of the carotid artery, which reduces the supply of blood to the brain and is a cause of strokes. It is treated by surgical excision or bypass of the narrowed segment (see also endarterectomy) or by inserting a *stent into the carotid artery.... carotid artery stenosis

Coronary Revascularization

the restoration of blood flow to ischaemic heart muscle (see ischaemia) by *coronary angioplasty and *stenting or by a *coronary artery bypass graft.... coronary revascularization

End Artery

the terminal branch of an artery, which does not communicate with other branches. The tissue it supplies is therefore probably completely dependent on it for its blood supply.... end artery

Gastric Bypass Surgery

any of several procedures of *bariatric surgery that allow food to bypass parts of the gut in order to reduce absorption of nutrients and calories. Such operations often lead to greater weight loss than restrictive procedures, such as *gastric banding and *stomach stapling, but there are significant long-term complications relating to chronic malabsorption and patients must remain under long-term specialist follow-up.... gastric bypass surgery

Coronary Angiography

an X-ray technique for examination of the coronary arteries, often taken to also include examination of the chambers of the heart. A catheter is introduced via the radial artery at the wrist or the femoral artery at the groin and manipulated into the heart under X-ray control. *Contrast medium is then injected to outline the ventricles and coronary arteries. Digital video images are recorded during contrast-medium injection. Coronary angiography is used to diagnose cardiac disease, specifically narrowing or blockage in the coronary arteries, and plan treatment by surgery or radiological interventional techniques (see coronary artery bypass graft; percutaneous coronary intervention). It has now largely been replaced by CT coronary angiography.... coronary angiography

Hyaloid Artery

a fetal artery lying in the *hyaloid canal of the eye and supplying the lens.... hyaloid artery

Innominate Artery

(brachiocephalic artery) a short artery originating as the first large branch of the *aortic arch, passing upwards to the right, and ending at the lower neck near the right sternoclavicular joint. Here it divides into the right common carotid and the right subclavian arteries.... innominate artery

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

(PCI) treatment of coronary artery disease delivered by cardiac *catheterization. This usually means *coronary angioplasty followed by insertion of a coronary *stent, but also includes more specialized procedures, such as rotational *atherectomy (rotablation). Primary PCI refers to the use of PCI as the first-line treatment to relieve coronary obstruction in S-T elevation *myocardial infarction, rather than *thrombolysis. Rescue PCI is used in the event of unsuccessful thrombolysis.... percutaneous coronary intervention

Pulmonary Artery

the artery that conveys blood from the heart to the lungs for oxygenation: the only artery in the body containing deoxygenated blood. It leaves the right ventricle and passes upwards for 5 cm before dividing into two, one branch going to each lung. Within the lungs each pulmonary artery divides into many fine branches, which end in capillaries in the alveolar walls. See also pulmonary circulation.... pulmonary artery

Renal Artery

either of two large arteries arising from the abdominal aorta and supplying the kidneys. Each renal artery divides into an anterior and a posterior branch before entering the kidney.... renal artery

Spermatic Artery

either of two arteries that originate from the abdominal aorta and travel downwards to supply the testes.... spermatic artery

Sphenopalatine Artery Ligation

(SPA) a surgical procedure to identify and occlude the sphenopalatine artery in the nose using endoscopic surgery. It is used in the treatment of severe epistaxis (nosebleed).... sphenopalatine artery ligation

Split-skin Graft

(SSG, Thiersch’s graft) a type of skin graft in which thin partial thicknesses of skin are used to cover and heal a wound. They are removed from one site on the body, cut into narrow strips or sheets, and placed onto the wound area to be healed.... split-skin graft

Subclavian Artery

either of two arteries supplying blood to the neck and arms. The right subclavian artery branches from the innominate artery; the left subclavian arises directly from the aortic arch.... subclavian artery

Thiersch’s Graft

see split-skin graft. [K. Thiersch (1822–95), German surgeon]... thiersch’s graft

Ulnar Artery

a branch of the brachial artery arising at the elbow and running deep within the muscles of the medial side of the forearm. It passes into the palm of the hand, where it unites with the arch of the radial artery and gives off branches to the hand and fingers.... ulnar artery

Uterine Artery Embolization

a method of embolizing the uterine artery under radiodiagnostic control (see embolization). It has been successful in controlling postpartum haemorrhage and can also be used in treating fibroids, correcting arterial or venous malformations of the genital tract, and terminating abdominal and cervical pregnancies.... uterine artery embolization

Health Encyclopedia

Recent Searches