Dysentery is an infection of the intestines causing diarrhoea that contains blood or mucus. There are two main types of dysentery: Shigellosis, or bacillary dysentery, is the most common type experienced in the UK, caused by the shigella bacteria. Amoebic dysentery, also called amoebiasis, is caused by a single-celled parasite called Entamoeba histolytica. This form of dysentery is more common abroad in tropical countries. This article focuses on amoebic dysentery, This is usually caused by poor hygiene or contaminated food or water. Amoebic dysentery is a notifiable disease, so your GP must let the local health authority know if you have contracted it. Causes of amoebic dysentery Once inside the body, amoeba clump together to form a cyst that is protected by the stomach’s digestive acid. When the cyst passes through the intestines it breaks open infecting the body. The amoebae burrow into the intestinal wall and cause small ulcers or abscesses. Cysts exit the body via faeces but are still able to live outside, which is how many people become infected. Severe dysentery is more common in developing countries due to compromised hygiene. You can get sick in a number of ways including: Eating contaminated food Drinking contaminated water Contracting dysentery from another infected person. Symptoms of amoebic dysentery Symptoms can appear as many as 10 days after exposure and infection by the parasite. Signs of infection include: Watery diarrhoea with blood or pus in it Nausea or vomiting Stomach pain High temperature Chills Bleeding from back passage (rectum) Weight loss Loss of appetite. Complications of amoebic dysentery If the parasite gets into your bloodstream it can spread to other parts of your body, including the liver. When this happens you run the risk of developing a liver abscess. Symptoms include: High temperature Weakness Cough Jaundice Nausea Loss of appetite Weight loss

A chalazion is a lump of the lid that is caused by obstruction of the drainage duct of an oil gland within the upper or lower eyelid. This lump may increase in size over days to weeks and may occasionally become red, warm, or painful.

Carotid artery stenosis can be caused by cholesterol build-up in the blood vessels (atherosclerosis). Blood clots can form in this area and travel up to the brain. This condition may be present for a long time before symptoms appear. When symptoms do occur, stroke or brief stroke-like attacks are common. If this condition is discovered as a result of a stroke or stroke-like attack, cholesterol lowering medications and blood thinners may be used to improve blood flow to the brain. If the degree of narrowing is severe, surgery may be needed to open the blood vessel.

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Rhomboid muscle strain and spasm causes upper back pain between the shoulder blades. Some patients describe the muscle spasms and discomfort as knots in the back. Early treatment is important to speed healing and recovery. Ice therapy for the first few days followed by moist heat can help relieve symptoms.Oct 12, 2015

Invasive intracranial pressure monitoring. The most common surgically placed monitors for ICP measurement are intraventricular catheters (external ventricular drain [EVD] or a ventriculostomy drain) and fiberoptic ICP monitors implanted into the parenchyma of the brain.

Uncontrolled hyperthyroidism during pregnancy can lead to serious health problems in the mother and the unborn baby. During pregnancy, mild hyperthyroidism does not require treatment. More severe hyperthyroidism is treated with antithyroid medications, which act by interfering with thyroid hormone production.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a very common disorder and refers to a group of conditions where there is accumulation of excess fat in the liver of people who drink little or no alcohol. The most common form of NAFLD is a non serious condition called fatty liver.

A simple continuous stitch can be a useful technique for skin closure when speed is important, e.g. closing a scalp laceration on a screaming child. The simple running, or continuous suture, is begun in the same way as a simple interrupted suture.

What does the placenta do? The placenta is an organ that develops in your uterus during pregnancy. This structure provides oxygen and nutrients to your growing baby and removes waste products from your baby's blood. The placenta attaches to the wall of your uterus, and your baby's umbilical cord arises from it. In most pregnancies, the placenta attaches at the top or side of the uterus.

Artificial kidney is often a synonym for hemodialysis, but may also, more generally, refer to renal replacement therapies (with exclusion of kidney transplantation) that are in use and/or in development.

There's only one group of people who really know what happens when you die: the dead. And since the dead won't be revealing their secrets anytime soon, it's up to scientists to explain what happens when a person dies. Death, just like life, is a process, scientists say. The first stage of this process is known as clinical death. It lasts from four to six minutes, beginning when a person stops breathing and the heart stops pumping blood. During this time, there may be enough oxygen in the brain that no permanent brain damage occurs. Other organs, such as the kidneys and eyes, also remain alive throughout clinical death.

The spleen, a spongy, soft organ about as big as a person’s fist, is located in the upper left part of the abdomen, just under the rib cage. The splenic artery brings blood to the spleen from the heart. Blood leaves the spleen through the splenic vein, which drains into a larger vein (the portal vein) that carries the blood to the liver. The spleen has a covering of fibrous tissue (the splenic capsule) that supports its blood vessels and lymphatic vessels. The spleen is made up of two basic types of tissue, each with different functions: White pulp Red pulp The white pulp is part of the infection-fighting (immune) system. It produces white blood cells called lymphocytes, which in turn produce antibodies (specialized proteins that protect against invasion by foreign substances). The red pulp filters the blood, removing unwanted material. The red pulp contains other white blood cells called phagocytes that ingest microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses. It also monitors red blood cells, destroying those that are abnormal or too old or damaged to function properly. In addition, the red pulp serves as a reservoir for different elements of the blood, especially white blood cells and platelets (cell-like particles involved in clotting). However, releasing these elements is a minor function of the red pulp.

What could cause a blockage in the stomach? Mechanical causes of intestinal obstruction may include: Adhesions or scar tissue that forms after surgery. Foreign bodies (objects that are swallowed and block the intestines) Gallstones (rare) Hernias. Impacted stool. Intussusception (telescoping of one segment of bowel into another) Tumors blocking the intestines. Less common radiologic signs are seen in specific circumstances. Most closed-loop obstructions (75%) are caused by adhesions. A closed-loop obstruction occurs when a loop of bowel is not decompressed by the caudal passage of gas and fluid.

Breast lumps facts Breast lumps can be caused by infections, injuries, non-cancerous growths, and cancer. Breast cancer usually causes no pain in the breast. The symptoms of breast cancer include painless breast lumps, nipple discharge, and inflammation of the skin of the breast. The chances that a particular breast lump could be cancerous depends on many factors, including past medical history, physical examination, as well as genetic and other risk factors. The only way to be certain that a lump is not cancerous is to have a tissue sampling (biopsy). There are several ways to do the biopsy. The treatment of a breast lump depends on its cause.

Colonoscopy is a test that allows your doctor to look at the inner lining of your large intestine (rectum and colon). He or she uses a thin, flexible tube called a colonoscope to look at the colon. A colonoscopy helps find ulcers, colon polyps, tumors, and areas of inflammation or bleeding.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. It develops gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. But while a tremor may be the most well-known sign of Parkinson's disease, the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement. In the early stages of Parkinson's disease, your face may show little or no expression, or your arms may not swing when you walk. Your speech may become soft or slurred. Parkinson's disease symptoms worsen as your condition progresses over time. Although Parkinson's disease can't be cured, medications may markedly improve your symptoms. In occasional cases, your doctor may suggest surgery to regulate certain regions of your brain and improve your symptoms.

On the day of your surgery, your health care team will take you to a preparation room. Your blood pressure and breathing will be monitored. You may receive an antibiotic medication through a vein in your arm. You will then be taken to an operating room and positioned on a table. You'll be given a general anesthesia medication to put you in a sleep-like state so that you won't be aware during your operation. The surgical team will then proceed with your colectomy. Colon surgery may be performed in two ways: Open colectomy. Open surgery involves making a longer incision in your abdomen to access your colon. Your surgeon uses surgical tools to free your colon from the surrounding tissue and cuts out either a portion of the colon or the entire colon. Laparoscopic colectomy. Laparoscopic colectomy, also called minimally invasive colectomy, involves several small incisions in your abdomen. Your surgeon passes a tiny video camera through one incision and special surgical tools through the other incisions. The surgeon watches a video screen in the operating room as the tools are used to free the colon from the surrounding tissue. The colon is then brought out through a small incision in your abdomen. This allows the surgeon to operate on the colon outside of your body. Once repairs are made to the colon, the surgeon reinserts the colon through the incision. The type of operation you undergo depends on your situation and your surgeon's expertise. Laparoscopic colectomy may reduce the pain and recovery time after surgery. But not everyone is a candidate for this procedure. Also, in some situations your operation may begin as a laparoscopic colectomy, but circumstances may force your surgical team to convert to an open colectomy. Once the colon has been repaired or removed, your surgeon will reconnect your digestive system to allow your body to expel waste. Options may include: Rejoining the remaining portions of your colon. The surgeon may stitch the remaining portions of your colon together, creating what is called an anastomosis. Stool then leaves your body as before. Connecting your intestine to an opening created in your abdomen. The surgeon may attach your colon (colostomy) or small intestine (ileostomy) to an opening created in your abdomen. This allows waste to leave your body through the opening (stoma). You may wear a bag on the outside of the stoma to collect stool. This can be permanent or temporary. Connecting your small intestine to your anus. After removing both the colon and the rectum (proctocolectomy), the surgeon may use a portion of your small intestine to create a pouch that is attached to your anus (ileoanal anastomosis). This allows you to expel waste normally, though you may have several watery bowel movements each day. As part of this procedure, you may undergo a temporary ileostomy.

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Portal hypertension is an increase in the blood pressure within a system of veins called the portal venous system. Veins coming from the stomach, intestine, spleen, and pancreas merge into the portal vein, which then branches into smaller vessels and travels through the liver.