haemothorax
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A medical condition characterized by the accumulation of blood in the pleural cavity, which is the space between the lungs and the inner chest wall.
Usage
This term is used exclusively in medical contexts to describe a serious condition, often resulting from trauma or injury to the chest. - The term is a clinical diagnosis. - It is used by healthcare professionals when discussing patient symptoms, diagnostic findings (like from an X-ray), and treatment plans.
Examples
- The chest X-ray revealed a significant haemothorax requiring immediate drainage.
- Blunt force trauma to the chest is a common cause of haemothorax.
- The surgeon's primary concern was controlling the bleeding that led to the haemothorax.
Advanced Usage
- Tension haemothorax: A life-threatening variant where pressure builds up in the pleural cavity, compressing the heart and the other lung.
- The patient developed a tension haemothorax, necessitating an emergency thoracostomy.
Variants and Related Words
- Hemothorax: The American English spelling of the same condition.
- Haemorrhage (noun): Bleeding; a general term for the escape of blood from vessels.
- Pleural cavity (noun): The anatomical space where the blood accumulates in a haemothorax.
- Thoracentesis (noun): A medical procedure to drain fluid or blood from the pleural space, which may be used to treat a haemothorax.
Synonyms
- Hemothorax (US spelling): The only direct synonym, differing only in spelling.
- Intrapleural hemorrhage: A more descriptive, technical synonym meaning bleeding within the pleural space.
Related Phrases
- To drain a haemothorax: The standard phrase for the therapeutic procedure.
- The emergency team prepared to drain the haemothorax.
- Massive haemothorax: A phrase used to describe a particularly large and dangerous accumulation of blood.
- The paramedics reported signs of a massive haemothorax at the accident scene.
Noun
- accumulation of blood in the pleural cavity (the space between the lungs and the walls of the chest)