Medical dictionary

What is extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy? Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is a non-invasive procedure which treats kidney stones by breaking them up into smaller pieces. It is a safe procedure which has been in use since the 1980s.    What is it for? The procedure is often used to treat people with stones in the kidney as well as the ureter. It can be less pain

What is analysed? Extractable nuclear antigen (ENA) antibodies are a group of autoantibodies that target certain proteins and ribonucleoproteins located in the cell nucleus. There are several types of ENA antibodies, and each is associated with specific autoimmune diseases. Common ENA antibodies include: anti-Sm (Smith) antibody anti-SS-A (Ro) and anti-SS-B (Lo) antibody anti-RNP a

Why is tooth extraction necessary?Tooth extraction is a common dental procedure involving the removal of a tooth from its socket in the jawbone. Although modern dentistry prioritises preserving natural teeth whenever possible, extraction may be necessary when a tooth is severely damaged, infected, or poses a risk to overall oral health. Understanding why extractions are performed, how the procedur

What are extrasystoles? Extrasystoles, or premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), are a type of cardiac arrhythmia. They occur whenever a contraction stimulus is sent ahead of time from the sinoatrial node in the heart, which is the normal heartbeat initiator, giving a rather unpleasant sensation of a “skipped heartbeat” or palpitations in the chest. Prognosis of extrasystoles

What is an eyebrow transplant?   An eyebrow transplant is similar to a hair transplant. It involves taking hair from another part of the body and surgically inserting it to make the eyebrows look fuller. Not only do eyebrows play an important aesthetic role, but they also act as a barrier protecting the eyes from sweat and other moisture.   How does eyebrow transplant

What is eye cancer? Eye cancer, otherwise referred to as ocular oncology, encompass all forms of cancer that affect the eyelids, eyes and eye orbit. All eye tumours require early and thorough evaluation by an ophthalmologist. These tumours can be benign or malignant. In most cases, they are benign, but tumours can grow larger over time and cause eye problems due to the compr

What is an eye examination? An eye examination is a series of tests which are usually conducted by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor), or other professionals such as optometrists. There are different types of eye examination to assess different parts of people's vision, and it is recommended that all people should have periodic eye examinations to check eye health and detect any potential abnorm

What are eye flashes? Eye flashes appear in the visual field like sparks of light. They don’t happen externally from sources of light around you, they happen from inside the eye. They usually aren’t a sign of problems; however, they can be a warning for some conditions. People who have eye flashes may also have eye floaters. Changes in the vitreous gel (the liquid that f

What are eye floaters? Eye floaters, medically known as myodesopsia, are floaters that move across your field of vision. They can be many different shapes: lines, shadows, dots, and cobwebs among others. It is one of the main reasons that people visit an ophthalmologist.   Floaters are condensations of the vitreous, which is the gel-like substance in the back of the eye. T