Medical dictionary

What is aortic stenosis? Aortic stenosis is a heart defect characterised by the narrowing of the aortic valve opening. In turn, this narrowing restricts the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the aorta. It can result either from a congenital birth defect or in ageing patients where scarring and calcium deposits build up in the valve opening. Treatment may require surgical valve repai

What is aortic valve replacement? The aorta is the main blood vessel which carries blood from the heart to the rest of your body. The aortic valve opens and closes to allow blood to flow out of the heart.  Aortic valve replacement is a type of open heart surgery which consists of removing a faulty or damaged valve and replacing it with a new valve. The new valve is made from synethic ma

What is aortic valve replacement (minimally-invasive)? Minimally-invasive aortic valve replacement (MIAVR) uses a much smaller incision compared to traditional aortic valve replacement methods, which means patients recover much faster and the scar post-surgery is noticeably smaller too. MIAVR is used to treat patients with narrow or leaking valves who often complain of chest pains or shortness

What is apexification?Apexification is a procedure performed by dentists to close an open tooth root, which may happen if the tooth root has not formed completely, for example. This is mainly due to childhood trauma or tooth decay, which forms a pulp necrosis (pulpitis). This procedure is called apexification because it refers to the part of the tooth known as the apex, which is th

What is the Apgar score? The Apgar score is a quick way of measuring the health of a newborn, in the first minute after birth and in the fifth minute. It was developed by Virginia Apgar, an anaesthesiologist in the US, in 1952 as a means of quantifying the effect of anaesthesia administered during birth on babies. The test is usually carried out by a consultant paediatrician.  Virgi

What is aphasia? Aphasia is a speech impairment caused by damage to the part of the brain that controls language. It can cause issues for reading, writing, and oral expression. There are four different kind of aphasia: Expressive aphasia: the patient knows what they want to say but has issues when they try to write it or express it. Receptive aphasia: the patient can read or listen to i

What is aphonia?Aphonia is the term used to describe a loss of voice. When someone loses their voice, it may be partial (hoarseness) or complete (the patient can just about whisper). Aphonia can come on gradually or suddenly, depending on the cause.  What causes aphonia?The main causes of voice loss are:Diseases of the respiratory system: a cold, laryngitis, cough, tonsillitis, nodule

What is an apicectomy?An apicectomy is also known as root end surgery, or a root resection, root-end filling, or retrograde root canal treatment. An apicoectomy is an endodontic procedure which involves removing the tip of the root, creating a root end cavity, and filling it with a special root-end filling material.Why is it done?An apicectomy is usually performed when conventional root canal trea

What is aplastic anaemia? Aplastic anaemia is a rare and serious condition in which the body does not produce enough red blood cells. Red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen molecules from the lungs to all around the body, delivering them to cells to produce the energy they need. They carry this oxygen using a protein called haemoglobin. The term “anaemia&rdq