Medical dictionary

What is pulmonary embolism? Pulmonary embolism is a sudden blockage in a lung artery. When a blood clot, called a deep vein thrombosis, occurs in your leg, it breaks off and moves through the bloodstream until it reaches the lungs.Pulmonary embolism is a serious pathology that can permanently damage the affected lung. Low oxygen levels may result in damage to various organs in the body due to

Pulmonary emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This disease occurs when the pulmonary alveoli are gradually destroyed, making it increasingly difficult to breathe. When the alveoli are destroyed, a larger space is created, instead of multiple small chambers. This affects the expansion of the lungs and the amount of oxygen that reaches the blood.  What is p

What is pulmonary fibrosis? Pulmonary fibrosis, or interstitial lung disease occurs when scar tissue builds up in your lungs, causing the lung tissue to thicken and harden. This makes it difficult to get oxygen into the blood, and it can lead to shortness of breath, among other symptoms. Symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis Pulmonary fibrosis manifests itself in the following ways

What is pulmonary hypertension?      Pulmonary hypertension is high blood pressure that affects the lung arteries and the right side of the heart. It is a serious condition in which the blood vessels that transport blood from the heart to the lungs – the pulmonary arteries – narrow, harden, are blocked, or damaged. If at higher pressure, the right ventricl

What is a pulmonary nodule?   Pulmonary nodules are spots on the lungs, which usually are no larger than 3cm in diameter. In most cases, they are benign, meaning that they do not represent cancer.   A pulmonary nodule will usually show on a chest x-ray or a CT scan. They can appear as individual nodules, or you may have several. If a pulmonary nodule is cancerous, they a

What is pulmonary tuberculosis? Pulmonary tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that affects the lungs and can spread to other organs. It is contagious, and is typically transmitted by inhaling water droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.   Symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis Pulmonary tuberculosis can cause a wide variety of symptoms: breathing difficulties

What is pulsed field ablation (PFA)? Pulsed field ablation (PFA) is a novel, minimally invasive treatment for certain types of cardiac arrhythmia, especially atrial fibrillation (AF). It is an emerging alternative to traditional thermal ablation techniques such as radiofrequency (RF) or cryoablation. PFA uses short, high-voltage electrical pulses to create precise, non-thermal lesions in heart

What is purpura? Purpura, from the Latin word for purple, refers to a symptom in which purple or red spots appear on the skin, organs or mucous membranes, including inside the mouth. They are caused when small blood vessels burst and haemorrhage, leading to blood pooling under the skin. These spots are generally benign, but may be caused by a more serious condition, such as a blood clotting dis

What is a pyeloplasty? A pyeloplasty is a surgical procedure to remove a blockage from one of the ureters (the tubes that carry urine from the kidney to the bladder). Such blockages are usually present from birth, but may also occur later in life, including in adults. The sooner the problem is dealt with, the better, and so pyeloplasty is frequently performed on infants. Why is it done?