sequestra
Definition
- Noun (plural form of ):
- Medical term: "sequestra" refers to small fragments of dead bone that have become separated from the surrounding healthy bone tissue, typically as a result of infection (osteomyelitis) or injury. These fragments are often found within a cavity or abscess in the bone.
Usage Examples
- (Small dead bone fragments were surgically extracted from the inflamed shinbone.)
- (X-rays showed several pieces of necrotic bone in the lower jaw.)
Advanced Usage
- "Sequestra formation": the process by which dead bone fragments become isolated from living bone.
- Chronic osteomyelitis often leads to sequestra formation, requiring debridement. (Long-term bone infection frequently causes dead bone pieces to separate, needing surgical cleaning.)
Variants and Related Words
Sequestrum (n, singular): a single fragment of dead bone.
- A large sequestrum was visible on the CT scan. (One dead bone piece was clearly seen on the imaging.)
Sequestrectomy (n): surgical removal of a sequestrum.
- The patient underwent a sequestrectomy to eliminate the source of infection. (The dead bone fragment was surgically removed.)
Sequestration (n): the process of separating or isolating, often used in medical contexts for bone or in general for isolation.
- Bone sequestration can be detected via MRI. (The process of dead bone separation can be identified by magnetic resonance imaging.)
Synonyms
- Necrotic bone fragment: a piece of dead bone tissue.
- Bone sequestrum: the same term, often used interchangeably in medical literature.
Related Idioms
- (No common idioms; this term is highly specialized in medical pathology.)