Medical terms - Letter S (page 19) | MedicalVocabulary.org

Starttheweekendearlyitis

See: Fridayitis
Stasis

Stasis refers to a stoppage or slowdown in the flow of blood (or other body fluid such as lymph). A stasis ulcer is an ulcer (a crater) that develops in an area in which the circulation is sluggish and the venous return…
Stasis dermatitis

A skin irritation on the lower legs generally related to circulatory problems. Stasis refers to a stoppage or slowdown in the flow of blood (or other body fluid such as lymph). A stasis ulcer is an ulcer (a crater) that…
Stasis ulcer

A stasis ulcer is an ulcer (a crater) that develops in an area in which the circulation is sluggish and the venous return (the return of venous blood toward the heart) is poor. A common location for stasis ulcers is on…
STAT

Medical term used to imply urgent or rush. It may appear in lower case letters as stat or in capital letters as STAT, as in 'Treatment may include STAT surgery.' The term is derived from the Latin word 'statim' which…
Stat

See: STAT
State cancer registry

>Monitor cancer trends over time. >Determine cancer patterns in various populations. >Guide planning and evaluation of cancer control programs (eg, determine whether prevention, screening, and treatment efforts are…
State, acute confusional

See: Delirium
State, hypercoagulable

A hypercoagulable state is the medical term for a condition in which there is an abnormally increased tendency toward blood clotting (coagulation). There are numerous hypercoagulable states. Each has different causes…
Static posture

Any posture that is held for a long time. A static posture may result in fatigue and even injury over time
Statins

Statins: A class of drugs that lower cholesterol. The statin drugs on the market in the US include: > >Atorvastatin (brand name: Lipitor) >Lovastatin (brand name: Mevacor), >Simvastatin (brand name: Zocor), >Pravastatin…
Status epilepticus

An epileptic seizure that lasts more than 30 minutes; a constant or near-constant state of having seizures. Status epilepticus is a health crisis, and requires immediate treatment. See also epilepsy, seizure disorders.
Statutory rape

A legal term describing sexual intercourse between an adult and a minor. The adult can be found guilty of statutory rape in courts of law even if the minor was a willing partner. 'Statutory,' which is derived from the…
STD

Sexually transmitted disease
STDs in men

See sexually transmitted diseases in men.
STDs in women

See Sexually transmitted diseases in women
Steal, subclavian

See: Subclavian steal
Steatohepatitis

Fatty inflammation of the liver, usually in alcoholics. Steato- refers to fat and -hepatitis to inflammation of the liver
Steele-Richardson-Olszewksi syndrome

A hormonal problem that causes women to have various symptoms, including irregular or no menstruation, acne, obesity, and excess hair growth. Women with PCO do not ovulate (release an egg for fertilization) every month…
Stein-Leventhal syndrome

A hormonal problem that causes women to have various symptoms, including irregular or no menstruation, acne, obesity, and excess hair growth. Women with PCO do not ovulate (release an egg for fertilization) every month…
Stem cell

One of the human body's master cells, with the ability to grow into any one of the body's more than 200 cell types. All stem cells are unspecialized (undifferentiated) cells that are characteristically of the same…
Stem cell harvest

The taking of stem cells for use in cancer or other treatment. Usually these cells are taken from the patient's own bone marrow. The procedure usually involves use of a general anesthetic and an overnight hospital stay…
Stem cell harvest, peripheral blood

A technique for obtaining stem cells from the patient's blood for use in bone marrow transplantation. They are lured out of the bone marrow by a special regimen of drugs. The blood is then filtered through a machine…
Stem cell transplantation

The use of stem cells as a treatment for cancer or other diseases: > >The stem cells are removed (or obtained) from a donor. >Before a transplant is done for cancer, the patient receives high-dose chemotherapy and/or…
Stem cell, sperm

See: Sperm stem cell
Stem cell, spermatogonial

See: Sperm stem cell
Stenosis

A narrowing, as in: > >aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve of the heart), >pulmonary stenosis (narrowing of the pulmonary valve of the heart), >pyloric stenosis (narrowing of the outlet of the stomach), and…
Stenosis, aortic

Narrowing (stenosis) of the heart valve between the left ventricle of the heart and the aorta. This narrowing impedes the delivery of blood through the aorta to the body and makes it tough for the heart to carry out…
Stenosis, carotid

See: Carotid stenosis
Stenosis, carotid-artery

See: Carotid stenosis
Stenosis, pulmonary

The pulmonary valve is too tight so that the flow of blood from the right ventricle of the heart into the pulmonary artery is impeded. This means the right ventricle must pump harder than normal to overcome the…
Stenosis, spinal

See: Spinal stenosis
Stenosis, subaortic

Narrowing of the left ventricle of the heart just below the aortic valve through which blood must pass on its way up into the aorta. The narrowing cuts the flow of blood. Subaortic stenosis may be congenital (present at…
Stenotic

Narrowed, as in a stenotic artery. From the Greek 'stenos' meaning narrow
Stent

A tube designed to be inserted into a vessel or passageway to keep it open. Stents are inserted into narrowed coronary arteries to help keep them open after balloon angioplasty. The stent then allows the normal flow of…
Stent, coated

See: Coated stent
Stent, medicated

See: Coated stent
STEP procedure

See: Serial transverse enteroplasty
Step protocol

See: Step therapy
Step therapy

The practice of beginning drug therapy for a medical condition with the most cost-effective and safest drug therapy and progressing to other more costly or risky therapy, only if necessary. The aims are to control costs…
Stepfather

The husband of a woman who had a child by another man
Stepmother

The wife of a man who had a child by another women. See: Novercal
Steppage gait

A manner of walking in which the advancing foot is lifted high so that the toes clear the ground. Steppage gait is a sign of foot-drop
Stercolith

See: Fecalith
Stereotactic

Stereotactic refers to precise positioning in three-dimensional space. For example, biopsies, surgery or radiation therapy can be done stereotactically. In a stereotactic needle biopsy, the spot to be biopsied is…
Stereotactic needle biopsy

A biopsy in which the spot to be biopsied is located three-dimensionally, the information is entered into a computer, and the computer calculates the information and positions a needle to remove the biopsy sample
Stereotactic radiotherapy

Radiation therapy in which a number of precisely aimed beams of ionizing radiation coming from different directions meet at a specific point, delivering the radiation treatment to that spot
Stereotactic surgery

Surgery in which a system of three- dimensional coordinates is used to locate the site to be operated on. Stereotactic surgery is used in neurosurgery (and neurological research) for locating points within the brain…
Stereotaxis

Use of a computer and scanning devices to create three-dimensional pictures. This method can be used to direct a biopsy, external radiation, or the insertion of radiation implants
Sterilization, female surgical

Female surgical sterilization blocks (or removes part or all of) the fallopian tubes so the egg cannot travel to the uterus. The procedure is done by various surgical techniques, usually under general anesthesia…