Med Term CH 12

nephron

basic structural and functional unit of the kidney

urea

chief nitrogenous constituent of urine

nephrolithiasis

commonly known as kidney stones; usually deposits of mineral salts, called calculi, in the kidney. these stones can pass into the ureter, irritate kidney tissue, and block urine flow. kidney stones occur when the urine has a high level of minerals (usually calcium) that form stones

uric acid

end product of purine metabolism; common component of urinary and renal stones

meatotomy

incision of the urinary meatus to enlarge the opening

cystitis

inflammation of the bladder, usually occurring arily to ascending urinary tract infections. more than 85% of cases of cystitis are caused by Escherichia coli, a bacillus found in the lower gastrointestinal tract

nephritis

inflammation of the kidney

pyelonephritis

inflammation of the kidney and renal pelvis. it is usually caused by bacteria entering the kidneys from the bladder. escherichia coli is a bacillus that is normally found in the large intestine. these infections usually spread from the genital area through the ureters to the bladder

glomerulitis

inflammation of the renal glomeruli

urology

literally means study of the urinary system

dialysis

medical procedure to separate waste material from the blood and to maintain fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base balance in impaired kidney function or in the absence of the kidney. the two main types of dialysis, hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD), remove wastes and excess water from the blood in different ways

nephropathy

pathological disease of the kidney

glycosuria

presence of glucose in the urine

micturition

process of urination

specimen

sample of tissue, blood, urine, or other material intended to show the nature of the whole

nocturia

urination during the night

residual urine

urine that is left in the bladder after urination

cystolith

a bladder stone; a vesical calculus

stricture

abnormal narrowing of a duct or passage such as the esophagus, ureter, or urethra

renin

an enzyme produced by the kidney that stimulates vasconstriction and secretion of aldosterone. the blood renin level is elevated in some types of hypertension

urinalysis (UA)

analysis of urine; separating of the urine for examination to determine the presence of abnormal elements; a laboratory test that evaluates the physical, chemical, and microscopic properties of urine

urobilin

brown pigment formed by the oxidation of urobilinogen; may be formed in the urine after exposure to air

interstitial cystitis (IC)

chronically irritable and painful inflammation of the bladder wall

nephrosclerosis

condition of hardening of the kidney

enuresis

condition of involuntary emission of urine; bedwetting

urinal

container, toilet, or bathroom fixture into which one urinates

lithotripsy

crushing of a kidney stone

percutaneous ultrasonic lithotripsy

crushing of a kidney stone by using ultrasound. this is an invasive surgical procedure performed by using a nephroscope or fluoroscopy

dysuria

difficult or painful urination

uremia

excess of urea, creatinine, and other nitrogenous end products of protein and amino acid metabolism accumulated in the blood; also referred to as azotemia. in current usage, it refers to the syndrome associated with end-stage renal failure

hypercalciuria

excessive amount of calcium in the urine

urine

fluid secreted by the kidneys, transported by the ureters, stored in the bladder, and voided through the urethra

cystocele

hernia of the bladder that protrudes into the vagina

incontinence

inability to hold or control urination or defecation

albuminuria

indicates the presence of serum protein in the urine. albumin is the major protein in blood plasma. when detected in urine (albuminuria), it may indicate a leak in the glomerular membrane, which allows albumin to enter the renal tubule and pass into the urine

glomerulonephritis

inflammation of the kidney involving primarily the glomeruli. there are three types; acute glomerulonephritis (AGN), chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN), and subacute glomerulonephritis

pyelitis

inflammation of the renal pelvis

nephroma

kidney tumor

urologist

literally means a physician who specializes in the study of the urinary system

polyuria

literally means excessive secretion and discharge of urine; frequent urination; occurs in diabetes mellitus, chronic nephritis, and nephrosclerosis, and can be induced with diuretics and following excessive intake of liquids

periurethral

literally means pertaining to around the urethra; the immediate area surrounding the urethra

glomerular

literally means pertaining to the glomerulus; a tuft of blood vessels located within the Bowman capsule that permits a greater surface area for filtration

nephrology

literally means study of the kidney; study of kidney function as well as diagnosis and treatment of renal diseases

anuria

literally means without the formation of urine; lack of urine production

cystoscope

medical instrument used for visual examination of the bladder

urinometer

medical instrument used to measure the specific gravity of urine

urethral stricture

narrowing or constriction of the urethra

meatus

opening or passage; the external opening of the urethra

edema

pathological condition in which the body tissues contain an accumulation of fluid

hydronephrosis

pathological condition in which urine collects in the renal pelvis because of an obstructed outflow, thereby forming distention and damage to the kidney; can be caused by renal calculi, tumor, or hyperplasia of the prostate gland

diuresis

pathological condition of increased or excessive flow of urine; occurs in conditions such as diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, and acute renal failure. diuretics can also produce diuresis

renal failure

pathological failure of the kidney to function. there are two types of renal (kidney) failure: acute and chronic. acute renal failure (ARF) occurs when the filtering function of the kidneys changes so that the kidneys are not able to maintain healthy body function. people who have preexisting kidney disease or damage are at higher risk for acute renal failure. some common symptoms of acute renal failure include excess fluid in the abdomen (ascites) and swelling of the extremities (edema). in chronic renal failure (CRF), there is a gradual and progressive loss of kidney function. it most often results from any disease that causes gradual loss of kidney functions.

calculus

pebble; any abnormal concretion (stone); plural: calculi

antidiuretic

pertaining to a medication that decreases urine production and secretion

excretory

pertaining to the elimination of waste products from the body

renal

pertaining to the kidney

urethroperineal

pertaining to the urethra and perineum

urochrome

pigment that gives urine the normal yellow color

bacteriuria

presence of bacteria in the urine

calciuria

presence of calcium in the urine

ketonuria

presence of ketones in the urine resulting from break-down of fats due to faulty carbohydrate metabolism. it occurs primarily as a complication of diabetes mellitus but can occur in dieting and starvation; also called ketoacidosis

hematuria

presence of red blood cells (erythrocytes) in the urine. in microscopic hematuria, the urine appears normal to the naked eye, but examination with a microscope shows a high number of RBCs. gross hematuria can be seen with the naked eye--the urine is red or the cola of cola. if white blood cells are found in addition to red blood cells, then it is a sign of urinary tract infection

urination

process of voiding urine

extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL)

process whereby a medical device is used to crush kidney stones (renal calculi). the patient is sedated and immersed in a water bath while shock waves pound the stones until they crumble into small pieces. these pieces are generally flushed out with urine

pyuria

pus in the urine

oliguria

scanty, decreased amount of urine. the decreased production of urine may be a sign of dehydration, renal failure, hypovolemic shock, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, or urinary obstruction/urinary retention. it can be contrasted with anuria, which represents a more complete suppression of urination.

peritoneal dialysis (PD)

separation of waste from the blood by using a peritoneal catheter and dialysis. fluid is introduced into the peritoneal cavity, and wastes from the blood pass into this fluid. the fluid and waste are then removed from the body. types of peritoneal dialysis are IPD--intermittent and CAPD--continuous ambulatory

renal colic

sharp, severe pain in the lower back over the kidney, radiating forward into the groin. it usually accompanies forcible dilation of a ureter, followed by spasm as a stone is lodged or passed through it.

sterile

state of being free from living microorganisms; asepsis

sediment

substance that settles at the bottom of a liquid; a precipitate; can be produced by centrifuging urine or other body fluids

urgency

sudden need to void, urinate

ureterostomy

surgical creation of a new opening through the ureter to provide an alternate route for drainage of urine. example: cutaneous ureter is the surgical implantation of the ureter into the skin

nephrectomy

surgical excision of a kidney

cystectomy

surgical excision of the bladder or part of the bladder

pyelolithotomy

surgical incision into the renal pelvis for removal of a stone

renal transplant

surgical procedure to implant a donor kidney into a patient

ureteroplasty

surgical repair of the ureter

void

to empty the bladder

catheter

tube of elastic, elastic web, rubber, glass, metal, or plastic that is inserted into a body cavity to remove fluid or to inject fluid

hemodialysis (HD)

use of an artificial kidney to separate waste from the blood. the blood is circulated through tubes made of semipermeable membranes, and these tubes are continually bathed by solutions that remove waste

specific gravity

weight of a substance compared with an equal amount of water: urine has a specific gravity of 1.003-1.030

cystogram

x-ray record of the bladder