Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «W»:
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William Dobelle
William Dobelle: See: Dobelle, William....
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Williams syndrome
Williams syndrome: A genetic disorder characterized by mild mental retardation, unique personality characteristics, unusual facial features, and cardiovascular disease. The level of calcium tends to be high in blood (hypercalcemia) and urine (hypercalciuria).
Mental retardation is the rule and range...
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Willis, circle of
Willis, circle of: See: Circle of Willis....
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Wilms tumor
Wilms tumor: A cancer of the kidney and one of the most important malignancies in childhood, due to loss or inactivation of a tumor suppressor gene called WT1 on chromosome 11. Tumor suppressor genes usually suppress the growth of tumors and control cell growth.
Wilms tumor is usually detected bec...
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Wilson disease
Wilson disease: An inherited disorder in which too much copper accumulates in the body. Although the accumulation of copper begins at birth, symptoms of the disorder appear later in life, between the ages of 6 and 40.
A diagnostic feature of Wilson disease is what is called a Kayser-Fleischer ring, ...
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Wimmin
Wimmin: Women. A late 20th century creation. A feminist spelling to avoid the suffix men....
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Wind chill
Wind chill: The term used to describe the rate of heat loss on the body resulting from the combined effect of low temperature and wind. As winds increase, heat is carried away from the body at a faster rate, driving down both the skin temperature and eventually the internal body temperature. Exposur...
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Window, round
Window, round: See: Round window....
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Windpipe
Windpipe: The trachea, a tube-like portion of the respiratory (breathing) tract that connects the larynx (the voicebox) with the bronchial parts of the lungs.
Each time we inhale (breathe in), air goes into our nose or mouth, then through the larynx, down the trachea, and into our lungs. When we e...
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Wing bone
Wing bone: Popular and familiar term for the scapula, the flat triangular bone at the back of the shoulder.
The word "scapula" (with the accent on the first syllable) is a steal straight from the Latin. The Romans always employed the plural "scapulae", the shoulder blades. Because the shoulder blad...
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Winter depression
Winter depression: See: SAD....
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Wisdom tooth
Wisdom tooth: See: Tooth, wisdom....
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Witch's milk
Witch's milk: A folk term for the milk that often comes from the breast of a newborn baby. This temporary phenomenon is due to stimulation of the baby's breasts by the mother's hormones that cross the placenta during pregnancy. The ability of the baby's breasts to respond in this fashion is a mark o...
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Withdrawal symptoms
Withdrawal symptoms: Abnormal physical or psychological features that follow the abrupt discontinuation of a drug that has the capability of producing physical dependence. Common withdrawal symptoms include sweating, tremor, vomiting, anxiety, insomnia, and muscle pain....
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Withdrawal, penis
Withdrawal, penis: A method of contraception, also called coitus interruptus, in which the man withdraws his penis from the vagina before ejaculation. Fertilization is prevented because the sperm do not enter the vagina.
The effectiveness of this maneuver depends on the man's ability to withdraw be...
