A-B | C-D | E-G | H-K | L-M | N-P | R-U | V-Z


A

ACUTE - Of abrupt onset, in reference to a disease.

AKINESIA - The inability to initiate movement, due to problems with selecting and activating motor programs in the brain.  Also refers to prolonged paralysis or “freezing in place.”

ANEURYSM - An abnormal blood-filled swelling of an artery or vein, resulting from a localized weakness in the wall of the vessel. An aneurysm in the brain is referred to as a Cerebral or Intracranial Aneurysm.

ANGIOGRAM:  An angiogram, or arteriogram, is an X-ray that takes pictures of the blood vessels with the help of a contrast (iodine) that is injected into the arteries through a catheter to help diagnose a stroke, aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation (AVM), tumor, clots, and arterial stenosis (narrowing of the arteries).  A typical X-ray works by casting a shadow on film when it is exposed to the X-ray.  By adding a contrast agent into the blood stream through a catheter the blood vessels show up on the film.

ANGIOGRAPHY - Also called Angiogram. An imaging test that shows the blood vessels leading to and in the brain, in which a contrast dye is injected through a catheter placed in an artery in the groin or arm.

ANNULAR TEAR - A cracking of the rings inside the intervertebral disc. As the tear approaches the surface of the outer layers, nerve endings are negatively stimulated, leading to inflammation and pain.

ANNULUS FIBROSIS ­The tough, fibrous outer portion of a disc. It is composed of multiple cartilaginous rings, which firmly attach to the vertebrae above and below the disc and help hold the segments together.

ANTERIOR - The reference to a spine surgery approach through the front of the neck or through the abdomen.

ANTERIOR LUMBAR INTERBODY FUSION (ALIF) - Removal of the degenerated disc through the lower abdomen approach.  Bone graft material or an interbody device filled with bone is placed into the disc space.  Removal of the disc material from within the disc space is followed by insertion of an interbody graft and sometimes hardware in order to fuse the bones.  This procedure is call and “interbody fusion” because it is performed between the “bodies” of the vertebral bones and across the diseased disc space.  It is typically performed on both sides of the spine but frequently performed from only one side.

ARACHNOID - The middle layer of membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

ARTHROSCOPY - An examination of the interior of a joint with a small camera mounted at the tip of a tube that's inserted into the joint through a small incision in the skin. The instrument is called an arthroscope.

ARTIFICIAL DISC - An artificial disc, used in surgical replacement, is constructed from a polyethylene core sandwiched between two endplates made of a cobalt-chrome alloy.

ARTIFICIAL DISC REPLACEMENT (ADR)- The replacement of one or more damaged, diseased, or degenerated discs with artificial discs. This is an alternative to traditional spinal fusion approved by the FDA on October 26, 2004, for use in the United States. It restores the vertebrae above and below the disc to normal position and preserves the flexibility of the spine.

AUTOGRAFT - A bone graft or tissue taken from the patient and used for fusion in that patient. Typically, in spine surgery, the bone is taken from a part of the patient’s pelvis.

AVM (ARTERIOVENOUS MALFORMATION) - An abnormal collection of entangled blood vessels in the brain that, because of the absence of capillaries, can invade healthy tissues, restrict blood flow to the brain and cause a brain hemorrhage.

B

BACKBONE – See Vertebral Column.

BASAL GANGLIA - A region located at the base of the brain composed of gray matter and four clusters of neurons. These nerve cells are responsible for body movement and motor coordination, and deficits in the area are significant contributors in movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.

BERRY ANEURYSM – A saccular aneurysm with a narrow neck of origin and a stem resembling a berry.

BIPLANE ANGIOGRAPHY - An advanced X-ray system that allows for simultaneous imaging in two planes. This means blood vessels in the brain can be viewed from two different angles at the same time, significantly reducing diagnostic and procedure time, as well as risk to the patient.

BLOOD – The familiar red fluid in the body that contains white and red blood cells, platelets, proteins and other elements. The blood is transported throughout the body by the circulatory system, and functions in two directions: arterial (away from the heart) and venous (back to the heart).

BLOOD PRESSURE – The pressure of the blood within the arteries It is measured and recorded by two numbers: systolic pressure after the heart contracts and is the highest, and diastolic pressure before the heart contracts and is the lowest.

BRADYKINESIA – A term used to describe slowness of motion and delayed initiation of movement, which is common in early stages of movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease.

BRAIN ATTACK – See Stroke.

BRAIN PACEMAKER – See Neurostimulator.

BRAIN STEM - The part of the brain that connects the spinal cord to the cerebral hemispheres. It is composed of the medulla, pons and midbrain and controls many basic functions such as respiration, circulation and alertness.

BROCA’S AREA - Refers to a section of the brain, located in the frontal lobe of the left hemisphere that is important for language processing, and coherent speech production. It is named after Pierre Paul Broca, the French physician who discovered it in 1861. People suffering from damage to this area may show a condition called aphasia, which makes them unable to create and comprehend grammatically-complex sentences.

BULGING DISC - A condition in which the nucleus pulposus of the disc pushes out against the annulus fibrosis causing it to bulge, putting possible pressure on a nerve root.


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