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If you look at someone’s back, you’ll see that the spine runs straight down the middle. When a person has scoliosis, their backbone curves to the side. The angle of the curve may be small, large or somewhere in between. But anything that measures more than 10 degrees is considered scoliosis. Doctors may use the letters “C” and “S” to describe the curve of the backbone. You probably don’t look directly at too many spines, but what you might notice about someone with scoliosis is the way they stand. They may lean a little or have shoulders or hips that look uneven. What Causes Scoliosis? In as many as 80% of cases, doctors don’t find the exact reason for a curved spine. Scoliosis without a known cause is what doctors call “idiopathic.” Some kinds of scoliosis do have clear causes. Doctors divide those curves into two types -- structural and nonstructural. In nonstructural scoliosis, the spine works normally, but looks curved. Why does this happen? There are a number of reasons, such as one leg’s being longer than the other, muscle spasms, and inflammations like appendicitis. When these problems are treated, this type of scoliosis often goes away.
A small-bowel obstruction (SBO) is caused by a variety of pathologic processes. The leading cause of SBO in industrialized countries is postoperative adhesions (60%), followed by malignancy, Crohn disease, and hernias, although some studies have reported Crohn disease as a greater etiologic factor than neoplasia.
Herpes simplex encephalitis is characterized by acute-onset (<1 week) fever, headaches, seizures, altered mental status, and focal neurologic findings such as hemiparesis or cranial nerve deficits. This patient's weakness/fatigue for >1 week, heart murmur, history of drug abuse, and absence of focal neurologic deficits make endocarditis with mycotic aneurysm more likely than herpes encephalitis
Patients with candida endophthalmitis who have chorioretinitis with vitreal involvement should be treated with vitrectomy and systemic antifungal therapy with amphotericin B (Choice B) and/or fluconazole. An early vitrectomy improves the likelihood of a positive outcome, and intravitreal injection of amphotericin B may be of help. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of candida endophthalmitis is essential, as the condition can worsen quickly.
Chorionic villus sampling, often referred to as CVS, is a diagnostic test for identifying chromosome abnormalities and other inherited disorders. This test may be recommended by your health care provider, if you or your partner has family medical histories that reveal potential risks.
This syndrome was previously known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy, algodystrophy, causalgia, Sudeck atrophy, transient osteoporosis, and acute atrophy of bone. Usually occurring after an injury, CRPS presents with pain out of proportion to the injury, temperature change, edema, and abnormal skin color. Type I CRPS (90% of CRPS cases) occurs without a definable nerve lesion, while type II occurs with a definable nerve lesion. The pathogenesis is likely due to an injury causing increased sensitivity to sympathetic nerves, an abnormal response to and sensation of pain, and increased neuropeptide release causing burning pain to light touch (allodynia).
Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), also known as uterine artery embolization, is a minimally invasive procedure that is performed by an Interventional Radiologist (IR), a doctor who uses advanced imaging technology to see inside the body without surgery. UFE is often performed as an outpatient service and offers a much shorter recovery time than surgery. For more information on uterine fibroids and all your treatment options, including UFE,
The "great arteries" in this anomaly refer to the aorta and the pulmonary artery, the two major arteries carrying blood away from the heart. In cases of transposition of the great arteries, these vessels arise from the wrong ventricle. They are "transposed" from their normal position so that the aorta arises from the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery from the left ventricle. Other heart defects may occur along with transposition of the great arteries. About 25 percent of children with transposition will also have a ventricular septal defect (VSD) . In nearly a third, the branching pattern of the coronary arteries as they leave the transposed aorta is unusual. Infants may also have narrowing below the pulmonary valve that blocks blood flow from the left ventricle to the lungs.
Dr. Glenn Barnhart explains the symptoms of mitral valve regurgitation such as becoming short of breath. There are five structures of the mitral valve: annulus, leaflet tissue, chordae tendineae, papillary muscles, and left ventricle. All of these are taken into consideration when the mitral valve is leaking and not working right. There are four degrees of mitral valve regurgitation: mild, moderate, moderately severe,.
Sporotrichosis (also known as "rose gardener's disease") is a disease caused by the infection of the fungus Sporothrix schenckii. This fungal disease usually affects the skin, although other rare forms can affect the lungs, joints, bones, and even the brain.
An ileostomy is an opening in the belly (abdominal wall) that’s made during surgery. The end of the ileum (the lowest part of the small intestine) is brought through this opening to form a stoma, usually on the lower right side of the abdomen. A Wound Ostomy Continence nurse (WOCN or WOC nurse) or the surgeon will figure out the best location for your stoma. (A WOC nurse is a specially trained registered nurse who takes care of and teaches ostomy patients. This nurse may also be called an ostomy nurse.)
Classical PKU is an autosomal recessive disorder, caused by mutations in both alleles of the gene for phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH), found on chromosome 12. In the body, phenylalanine hydroxylase converts the amino acid phenylalanine to tyrosine, another amino acid.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for sexual function. It’s a common sexual problem, affecting as many as 30 million men in the United States. Most cases of ED have a physical cause, such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Lifestyle choices like smoking and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can also lead to ED. But for some men, psychological issues are the root of the problem.