typhlitis
Definition
- Noun (Medicine):
- Inflammation of the cecum: "typhlitis" refers specifically to inflammation of the cecum, which is the beginning of the large intestine (also known as the blind gut). This condition is often associated with infections, immune suppression (e.g., in chemotherapy patients), or other gastrointestinal disorders.
Usage Examples
- Medical Context:
- The patient was diagnosed with typhlitis after presenting with severe abdominal pain and fever. (Inflammation of the cecum was identified as the cause.)
- Neutropenic typhlitis is a serious complication in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. (A specific form of cecum inflammation linked to low white blood cell counts.)
Advanced Usage
"Neutropenic typhlitis": a severe form of typhlitis occurring in patients with neutropenia (low neutrophil count), often seen in leukemia or post-transplant patients.
- The oncologist suspected neutropenic typhlitis due to the patient's recent chemotherapy and localized right lower quadrant pain. (A specific medical condition involving cecum inflammation in immunocompromised individuals.)
"Typhlitis in appendicitis": sometimes used historically to describe inflammation around the cecum that mimics appendicitis.
- The surgeon ruled out appendicitis but noted signs of typhlitis during the exploratory laparotomy. (Cecum inflammation was found instead of appendix inflammation.)
Variants and Related Words
Typhlitic (adj): relating to or affected by typhlitis.
- The typhlitic lesions were visible on the CT scan. (Inflammatory changes in the cecum were observed.)
Typhlectomy (n): surgical removal of the cecum.
- In severe cases of typhlitis, a typhlectomy may be necessary to prevent perforation. (Surgical removal of the cecum is performed.)
Synonyms
- Cecitis: a less common term for inflammation of the cecum, essentially synonymous with typhlitis.
- The medical report noted cecitis as an alternative diagnosis. (Inflammation of the cecum.)
Related Idioms