Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Through the unbroken skin: Describes something that passes through or is administered through the intact skin, without the use of a needle or incision. This term is primarily used in medical contexts to refer to methods of drug delivery or absorption.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The doctor prescribed a percutaneous medication patch for pain relief.
  • This cream is designed for percutaneous absorption to treat the underlying muscle.
  • The study compared the efficacy of intravenous versus percutaneous drug administration.

Advanced Usage

• "Percutaneous administration": A method of delivering medication through the skin.
  • Percutaneous administration is often preferred for its non-invasive nature.
• "Percutaneous absorption": The process by which substances pass through the skin and enter the bloodstream.
  • The rate of percutaneous absorption varies depending on the skin's condition and the substance's properties.

Variants and Related Words

• Transdermal (adj): A synonym often used interchangeably with "percutaneous," specifically meaning "through the skin."
  • Transdermal patches are a common form of percutaneous delivery.
• Percutaneously (adv): In a percutaneous manner.
  • The drug is applied percutaneously.

Synonyms

• Transdermal: Through the skin.
• Transcutaneous: Passing through the skin.

Related Phrases

• Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG): A medical procedure where a feeding tube is placed through the abdominal wall.
  • The patient required a Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy for long-term nutrition.
• Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI): A non-surgical procedure used to treat narrowing of the heart's arteries, accessed via a needle puncture through the skin.
  • He underwent a percutaneous coronary intervention to open a blocked artery.

Adjective

1. through the unbroken skin; refers to medications applied directly to the skin (creams or ointments) or in time-release forms (skin patches)
   • transdermal estrogen
   • percutaneous absorption