Excretory System

Front 1

anuria

Back 1

The complete suppression of urinary secretions by the kidneys.

Front 2

dribbling

Back 2

The uncontrollable passage of drops of urine. This is particularly a problem immediately after voiding.

Front 3

dysuria

Back 3

Painful or difficult urination

Front 4

edema

Back 4

The presence of abnormally large quantities of fluid in the intercellular tissue spaces of the body, often due to abnormal renal function.

Front 5

enuresis

Back 5

Involuntary discharge of urine after an age at which urinary control should have been achieved. This is usually used specifically to denote bedwetting.

Front 6

frequency

Back 6

Frequent micturition. In medical reports, this almost always refers to increased frequency in the number of times that a patient urinates throughout a 24-hour period, and is just called "frequency".

Front 7

hematuria

Back 7

Blood in the urine. There are two different types of hematuria: gross and microscopic. Gross hematuria means that it is visible to the naked eye. Microscopic hematuria can only be detected upon laboratory examination.

Front 8

hesitancy

Back 8

Difficulty initiating urine flow. This, too, is a word which is applicable in everyday language. However, in medical reports, it is used alone and refers to this functional problem.

Front 9

incontinence

Back 9

Inability to control excretory functions (both urination and defecation_. This can occur regularly or be secondary to coughing, sneezing, laughing, or straining.

Front 10

ischuria

Back 10

Suppression or retention of urine, either voluntary or involuntary. This can require catheterization for release of urine.

Front 11

nocturia

Back 11

Voiding during the night.

Front 12

oliguria

Back 12

The excretion of a diminished amount of urine relative to the fluid intake in 24 hours.

Front 13

pneumaturia

Back 13

The passage of gas in the urine. THis is rare and generally indicates a fistula between the urinary tract and the bowel.

Front 14

pollakiuria

Back 14

Increased frequency of urination, without an increase in total volume.

Front 15

polyuria

Back 15

Increase in the total volume of urine excreted in a 24-hour period (usually with concomitany increase in frequency.)

Front 16

tenesmus

Back 16

Straining, especially ineffectual and painful straining during passage of stool or urine.

Front 17

urgency

Back 17

A compelling need to void. Involuntary urination may occur if voiding is not immediate.

Front 18

azotemia

Back 18

An excess of urea or other nitrogenous compounds of the blood.

Front 19

calculi

Back 19

The most common type is renal calculi or kidney stones. These are caused by salts in the urine when the urine is alkaline.

Front 20

cystitis

Back 20

Inflammation of the urinary bladder. More common in women than men because the urethra is shorter.

Front 21

diabetes mellitus

Back 21

An endocrine metabolic disorder resulting from an inadequate utilization of insulin. ONe of the most common early symptoms is excessive urination, and it can be detected by glycosuria-glucose in the urine.

Front 22

diabetic nephropathy

Back 22

A disease of the kidneys (nephropathy) which accompanies diabetes mellitus and leads ultimately to renal failure.

Front 23

exstrophy of the bladder

Back 23

A congenital deformity resulting from failure of the pelvic structures to fuse so that the bladder opens on the surface of the lower abdomen.

Front 24

Fanconi syndrome

Back 24

A failure of the renal tulules to absorb amino acids, glucose, and phosphorus. Osteomalacia and skeletal malformation can result.

Front 25

floating kidney

Back 25

A kidney which has become loosely attached to its bed of fat. This usually results when an obese patient loses a lot of weight.

Front 26

glomerulonephritis

Back 26

Inflammation of the glomeruli (cluster of nerves of vessels) of the kidneys, ususally in response to an infection. There are both acute and chronic types and it causes deterioration of renal function.

Front 27

horseshoe kidney

Back 27

Fusion of the kidneys across the midline, either by renal tissue or a fibrous band.

Front 28

hydronephrosis

Back 28

Distention of the pelves and calices of the kidneys due to obstruction of the ureters.

Front 29

Kimmelstiel-Wilson disease

Back 29

Also called glomerulosclerosis, occurs when rounded nodular hyaline masses form in the glomeruli of the kidneys. This disease is present in 25% of people with diabetes mellitus.

Front 30

glomerulosclerosis

Back 30

Also called Kimmelstiel-Wilson disease, occurs when rounded nodular hyaline masses form in the glomeruli of the kidneys. This disease is present in 25% of people with diabetes mellitus.

Front 31

metabolic acidosis

Back 31

A disturbance of the acid-base balance in the body towards the acid side.

Front 32

nephritis

Back 32

Inflammation of the kidneys.

Front 33

nephrosis/nephrotic syndrome

Back 33

An abnormal condition of the kidney, characterized by marked proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, and edema. It occurs in glomerular disease and thrombosis of a renal vein, or it may be a complication of systemic disorders such as diabetes, lupus, or multiple myeloma.

Front 34

papillary necrosis

Back 34

Also necrotizing papillitis, this occurs when the renal papillae become infarcted and necrotic and the apicves slough into the renal pelvis.

Front 35

polycystic kidney disease

Back 35

A hereditary condition where much of the renal tissue is replaced by clusters of cysts containing either clear or hemorrahagic fluid. Renal function is severely impaired.

Front 36

pyelonephritis

Back 36

Inflammation of the kidney and the renal pelves, often involving the ureters as well, due to bacteria.

Front 37

renal failure

Back 37

Acute renal faliure is associated with rapidly increasing azotemia and causes the kidneys to lose function. Chronic renal failure can be due to a myriad of pathologies and causes steady deterioration of the kidneys' ability to excrete and regulate normally.

Front 38

urolithiasis

Back 38

The formation of calculi in the urinary tract. This can be caused by disease or alteration in the composition of urine.

Front 39

urinary tract infection (UTI)

Back 39

The invasion of the urinary tract by microorganisms, which can lead to a number of symptoms including nocturia, tenesmus, dysuria, etc.

Front 40

Wilms tumor

Back 40

Wilms tumor, also called nephroblastoma, is a rapidly developing mixed tumor of the kidneys which occurs late in fetal life or early in infancy. Growth is rapidand spreads to the lungs and the brain.