Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

An X-ray taken from the side of the patient.

Lateral canthotomy and cantholysis is a surgical procedure most commonly used for the emergency treatment of orbital compartment syndrome, which is an emergency condition characterized by increased pressure within the orbit of the eye due to any cause. Immediate treatment is required to preserve vision. With lateral canthotomy and cantholysis, the lateral canthal tendons that attach the eyelids to the orbital rim…

1. In anatomy, the side of the body or a body part that is farther from the middle or center of the body. Typically, lateral refers to the outer side of the body part, but it is also used to refer to the side of a body part. For example, when referring to the knee, lateral refers to the…

Hidden, dormant, inactive. The virus that causes chickenpox remains latent after the initial attack of chickenpox is over. When it becomes reactivated, usually many years later, the virus causes shingles. HIV may remain in a small long-lived population of infected T cells. These cells provide a source for renewed replication of the virus following the cessation of therapy.

By convention, pregnancies are dated in weeks starting from the first day of a woman’s last menstrual period (LMP). If her menstrual periods are regular and ovulation occurs on day 14 of her cycle, conception takes place about 2 weeks after her LMP. A woman is therefore considered to be 6 weeks pregnant 2 weeks after her first missed period. A…

Weakness, weariness, listlessness, exhaustion, lethargy. For example, the patient complained of lassitude. From Latin lassitudo, from lassus meaning weary.

A tube-shaped organ in the neck that contains the vocal cords. The larynx is about 5 cm (2 in.) long. It is part of the respiratory system and is located between the pharynx and the trachea. Humans use the larynx to breathe, talk, and swallow. Its outer wall of cartilage forms the area of the front of the neck referred to as…

An inflammation of the larynx. Inflammation of the larynx is most often caused by viral infections. In these cases, other symptoms, such as sore throat, cough, difficulty swallowing, and fever, generally occur. The voice changes may persist after the fever and other symptoms of acute infection have resolved. Laryngitis can also occur as a result of irritation to the…

A person who has had his or her larynx (voice box) removed. A partial laryngectomy preserves the voice. The surgeon removes only part of the voice box, just one vocal cord, part of a cord, or just the epiglottis, and the stoma is temporary. After a brief recovery period, the trache tube is removed, and the stoma closes…

Having to do with the larynx (voice box).