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What is the spleen and what causes an enlarged spleen (splenomegaly)? The spleen sits under your rib cage in the upper left part of your abdomen toward your back. It is an organ that is part of the lymph system and works as a drainage network that defends your body against infection. White blood cells produced in the spleen engulf bacteria, dead tissue, and foreign matter, removing them from the blood as blood passes through it. The spleen also maintains healthy red and white blood cells and platelets; platelets help your blood clot. The spleen filters blood, removing abnormal blood cells from the bloodstream. A spleen is normally about the size of your fist. A doctor usually can't feel it during an exam. But diseases can cause it to swell and become many times its normal size. Because the spleen is involved in many functions, many conditions may affect it.
A plastic surgeon in China has successfully grown an artificial ear on a man's arm in a pioneering medical procedure. The patient, surnamed Ji, lost his right ear in an accident and yearned to have it back. Doctor Guo Shuzhong from a hospital in Xi'an, China's Shaanxi Province, used Mr Ji's cartilage from his ribs to build the new ear; and he expects to transplanted the organ to the man's head in about four months. According to the Huanqiu report, Mr Ji sustained serious injuries in the right side of his face in a traffic accident about a year ago. His right ear was torn from his face. The man, whose age is not specified, has since received multiple surgical operations to restore his facial skin and his cheeks. However, he felt frustrated about losing his right ear for good. The patient told a report from China News: 'I lost one ear. I have always felt that I am not complete.' Having sought medical advice from multiple sources, Ji realised that it was impossible to restore his ear through conventional medical procedures as a substantial part of his right ear had gone missing. Upon hearing recommendations, Mr Ji went to see doctor Guo Shuzhong, who works at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University in the city of Xi'an. Doctor Guo, a renowned plastic surgeon, conducted China's first face transplant operation in 2006, according to China Daily.
A vaginoplasty is a surgical procedure that tightens the vagina. This is done by removing excess vaginal lining and tightening the surrounding soft tissues and muscles. During delivery of a baby the vagina and surrounding tissues and muscles become stretched. After delivery the vagina may return to a more “normal” size, but it often fails to return to its’ pre pregnancy diameter. Generally, the more vaginal deliveries, the worse the condition gets. Many women will complain of decreased sensation and sexual satisfaction during intercourse. Commonly this is due to a lack of friction. Often their partner may notice a change although he may say nothing. Kegel exercises are often recommended but rarely succeed in restoring vaginal tightness.
In this animation it depicts an artery with cholesterol plaque (the yellowish area) which is blocking most of the inside of this artery. Then small cells called platelets become clumped together and cause the red blood cells to form a clot. This is what causes a HEART ATTACK.
A gastroscopy is a procedure where a thin, flexible tube called an endoscope is used to look inside the oesophagus (gullet), stomach and first part of the small intestine (duodenum). It's also sometimes referred to as an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The endoscope has a light and a camera at one end.