The heart, blood vessels, and blood are the parts that make up the circulatory system, which is defined as a closed system of blood vessels for the transport of gasses and nutrients. The heart is the key organ in the circulatory system. As a hollow, muscular pump, its main function is to propel blood throughout the body.

A ureteral stent, sometimes as well called ureteric stent, is a thin tube inserted into the ureter to prevent or treat obstruction of the urine flow from the kidney. The length of the stents used in adult patients varies between 24 to 30 cm.

Life Before Birth - In the Womb

A visual prosthesis, often referred to as a bionic eye, is an experimental visual device intended to restore functional vision in those suffering from partial or total blindness. In 1983 Joao Lobo Antunes, a Portuguese doctor, implanted a bionic eye in a person born blind.

When taking oral corticosteroids longer term, you may experience: Clouding of the lens in one or both eyes (cataracts) High blood sugar, which can trigger or worsen diabetes. Increased risk of infections. Thinning bones (osteoporosis) and fractures. Suppressed adrenal gland hormone production

Blind loop syndrome (BLS), commonly referred to in the literature as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or bacterial overgrowth syndrome (BOS), is a state that occurs when the normal bacterial flora of the small intestine proliferates to numbers that cause significant derangement to the normal physiological ...

Alcohol not broken down by the liver goes to the rest of the body, including the brain. Alcohol can affect parts of the brain that control movement, speech, judgment, and memory. These effects lead to the familiar signs of drunkenness: difficulty walking, slurred speech, memory lapses, and impulsive behavior.

An epidural abscess is a collection of pus (infected material) between the outer covering of the brain and spinal cord and the bones of the skull or spine. The abscess causes swelling in the area. Spinal cord abscess (SCA) is a rare condition capable of causing permanent damage to the spinal cord. Abscesses are caused when injured tissue becomes infected. The body's immune system sends white blood cells to help fight off the infection. They begin to fill the damaged tissue, causing pus to build up.

In developing countries, domestic animals (eg, dogs) are common sources of infection. In the United States, bats and wild animals (eg, raccoons) are the most common reservoirs of infection. The acquisition of rabies from bats can occur from an unrecognized bite or a scratch, and possibly by inhalation of aerosolized viral particles. Bats are found in all states except Hawaii, and spelunking (cave exploration) is a risk factor for rabies acquisition from bats.

Indwelling urinary catheters are commonly used in hospitals and can lead to preventable catheter-associated UTI. How can rates of catheter-associated UTI be reduced in hospitals? New research findings are summarized in a new NEJM Quick Take. Learn more at http://nej.md/1WoeHdF SHOW MORE

In cases when the presentation is unclear, ultrasonography is the imaging methodology of choice. The characteristic finding is the presence of a "target sign". Ultrasonography is not required in patients with obvious clinical diagnosis (as seen in this patient). Such patients can proceed directly to treatment with diagnostic and therapeutic air (pneumatic) or water-soluble (hydrostatic contrast) enema.

Defibrillation is a treatment for life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias, specifically ventricular fibrillation (VF) and non-perfusing ventricular tachycardia (VT). A defibrillator delivers a dose of electric current (often called a countershock) to the heart.

Idiopathic Hypoproteinemia or Intestinal Lymphangiectasia is a malabsorption disease due to abnormalities of the lymph vessels.

This animation shows how a balloon is placed inside the stomach with out an operation for weightloss. This is done through an endoscope which goes through the mouth.

Wound-closure technologies are becoming less painful and more efficient at closing wounds

An antisperm antibody test looks for special proteins (antibodies) that fight against a man's sperm in blood, vaginal fluids, or semen. The test uses a sample of sperm and adds a substance that binds only to affected sperm. Semen can cause an immune system response in either the man's or woman's body. The antibodies can damage or kill sperm. If a high number of sperm antibodies come into contact with a man's sperm, it may be hard for the sperm to fertilize an egg. The couple has a hard time becoming pregnant. This is called immunologic infertility.

Sound waves enter the ear canal and make the ear drum vibrate. This action moves the tiny chain of bones (ossicles – malleus, incus, stapes) in the middle ear. The last bone in this chain 'knocks' on the membrane window of the cochlea and makes the fluid in the cochlea move.

Lots of people wonder: does the pull out method work to prevent pregnancy? Pull out method effectiveness depends on whether or not you do it correctly. Learn more about pulling out in this video.

PIP breast implants exchanged with Nagor 4th generation silicone implants by plastic surgeon Adrian Richards at Aurora clinics in Milton Keynes. During PIP removal procedure, the implants appear in good shape, but as with majority of PIP implants, evidence of silicone gel bleed is found inside the patient's breast pocket, as well as free silicone which caused pain and discomfort to this patient.

This animation describes risks of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and risks/benefits of medication (5-ASAs, steroids, immunomodulators, & biologics).