Medical dictionary

What is cystocele?Cystocele, also known as an anterior prolapse, occurs when the support tissue between the bladder and vagina weakens and stretches such that the bladder sags into the vagina. It can be divided into three grades: Grade 1 - mild: the bladder sags slightly into the vaginaGrade 2 - moderate: the bladder sags far enough to reach the vaginal openingGrade 3 - severe: the bladder pr

What is a cystoscopy? A cystoscopy is a procedure to look inside the bladder by inserting a thin tube with a camera called a cystoscope through the urethra. Instruments can be passed down the cystoscope to perform minimally invasive surgery during the cystoscopy if necessary. This procedure can be carried out by a urologist. What does a cystoscopy involve? There are two types of cy

What are cysts?Cysts are closed sacs in the body’s tissue that may be filled with fluid, air, or other substances. They have a membrane, or “shell”, to divide them from the surrounding tissue, and the cells that make up this membrane are abnormal compared to the surrounding cells. Cysts can appear almost anywhere on the body, including on bones, organs, and the skin. There are hundreds or typ

What is a smear test? A smear test, now more commonly known as cervical screening, is an exam aimed at analysing cells from the cervix in order to identify anomalies, infections or lesions which could develop into cancer. It is a routine test that all sexually active women or women aged 25 or above should take at least once every three years. What does it involve? The test is not an i

What is being analysed? CMV analysis involves testing for the presence of cytomegalovirus antibodies or the virus itself in a patient's blood, urine, saliva, or other bodily fluids. What does the result mean? A positive result indicates the presence of CMV in the body, suggesting either an active infection or past exposure. A negative result suggests the absence of active infectio