coprolith
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A hard mass of fecal matter: A "coprolith" is a hardened, stone-like mass of feces that forms in the intestines, often due to chronic constipation or other digestive issues.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The X-ray revealed a large coprolith in the patient's colon, explaining the persistent pain.
- Archaeologists sometimes find ancient coproliths, which can provide insights into the diets of past civilizations.
Advanced Usage
- Medical Context: In medicine, a "coprolith" is a pathological finding, often associated with conditions like fecal impaction or diverticular disease.
- The obstruction was caused by a calcified coprolith that required surgical removal.
Variants and Related Words
- Coprolite (n): While "coprolith" refers to a pathological condition in a living organism, "coprolite" refers to fossilized feces studied in paleontology and archaeology.
- The museum displayed a coprolite from a prehistoric dinosaur.
Synonyms
- Fecalith: A medical term synonymous with coprolith, meaning a hard stone-like mass of feces.
- Enterolith: A more general term for a stone-like mass in the intestines, which can be formed from feces or other materials.
Related Phrases and Terms
- Fecal impaction: A condition often involving or caused by a coprolith, where hardened stool blocks the rectum.
- The patient was treated for severe fecal impaction resulting from a large coprolith.
Noun
- a hard mass of fecal matter