Medical dictionary

What is a trapeziectomy? Osteoarthritis can occur in the trapezium, which is the cube-shaped bone in your wrist that is joined to the base of your thumb (the trapeziometacarpal joint). This can be a very painful condition, causing pain when you use your thumb and limiting you from normal activities. A trapeziectomy is a surgical procedure that is used to relieve pain and to enable the

What is radiculopathy (trapped nerve)? Radiculopathy, or in simpler terms, a trapped nerve, is a condition in which one or more nerves in the vertebrae are compressed or 'pinched'. This trapped nerve being compressed leads to impaired movement. Radiculopathy can occur in any level of the spinal column, and there are many different types. The main types of radiculopathy

What is a traumatic injury?A traumatic injury is a physical injury which occurs suddenly, with a certain degree of severity. These types of injury typically require immediate medical attention and may first be dealt with in A&E, with later referral to a particular specialist if ongoing treatment is needed or rehabilitation is necessary. Major trauma has the potential to be severe, causing disa

What is it? Trigger finger is a condition that affects the tendons that bend the fingers. When the tendon sheath is inflamed, it makes finger extension or flexion difficult. This can cause the fingers to lock or trigger suddenly. The medical term for it is tenosynovitis. Orthopaedic specialists are devoted to preventing, diagnosing, and treating musculoskeletal conditions such as trigger f

What is ulnar nerve entrapment?   Ulnar nerve entrapment is a nerve condition where the ulnar nerve becomes compressed. The ulnar nerve travels from the neck to the hand and is responsible for the function of different muscles of the hand and sensitivity in the ring fingers and little finger.   When the ulnar nerve is trapped at the elbow, it is called cubital tunnel syn

What is ulnar nerve surgery?   Ulnar nerve surgery is a procedure to treat ulnar nerve entrapment, sometimes known as cubital tunnel syndrome. The ulnar nerve is one of the three main nerves in your arm and passes from the neck down into the hand, and is responsible for the area often referred to as the “funny bone”.     The main job of

What is vertebroplasty? Vertebroplasty is a minimally-invasive intervention to treat acute spinal fractures. In a vertebroplasty, a cement mixture is injected into the fractured bone via a hollow needle. Vertebroplasty is performed in a hospital or outpatient clinic. The procedure may be performed under local anaesthesia, in which case you will probably also receive medication to help yo

What is WALANT? WALANT stands for Wide Awake Local Anaesthetic No Tourniquet and is a surgical technique allowing a surgeon to operate on your hand while you are awake. By injecting lidocaine (local anaesthetic) in combination with epinephrine (adrenaline) into the hand, it avoids the need for general anaesthesia and helps to control bleeding so a tourniquet isn’t required. An orthopae

What is weight loss? Weight loss is a decrease in body weight by either following a diet and exercise regime or because of involuntarily circumstances such as illness. Body weight is determined by the amount of energy that is consumed as food and the amount of energy expended during daily activities. If a person wants to intentionally lose weight, it is recommended that they eat a lower quan