Meibomian cyst Health Dictionary

Inflammation of a bladder, especially the urinary bladder... cystitis

This is the most common serious genetic disease in Caucasian children, with an incidence of about one per 2,500 births, and more than 6,000 patients in the UK (30,000 in the USA). It is an autosomal recessive disorder of the mucus-secreting glands of the lungs, the pancreas, the mouth, and the gastrointestinal tract, as well as the sweat glands of the skin. The defective gene is sited on chromosome 7 which encodes for a protein, cystic ?brosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Individuals who inherit the gene only on one set of chromosomes can, however, carry the defect into successive generations. Where parents have a child with cystic ?brosis, they have a one-infour chance of subsequent children having the disease. They should seek GENETIC COUNSELLING.

The disorder is characterised by failure to gain weight in spite of a good appetite, by repeated attacks of bronchitis (with BRONCHIECTASIS developing at a young age), and by the passage of loose, foul-smelling and slimy stools (faeces). AMNIOCENTESIS, which yields amniotic ?uid along with cells shed from the fetus’s skin, can be used to diagnose cystic ?brosis prenatally. The levels of various enzymes can be measured in the ?uid and are abnormal when the fetus is affected by cystic ?brosis. Neonatal screening is possible using a test on blood spots – immunoreactive trypsin (IRT).

In children with symptoms or a positive family history, the disease can be tested for by measuring sweat chloride and sodium. This detects the abnormal amount of salt that is excreted via the sweat glands when cystic ?brosis is present. Con?rmation is by genetic testing.

Treatment This consists basically of regular physiotherapy and postural drainage, antibiotics and the taking of pancreatic enzyme tablets and vitamins. Some children need STEROID treatment and all require nutritional support. The earlier treatment is started, the better the results. Whereas two decades ago, only 12 per cent of affected children survived beyond adolescence, today 75 per cent survive into adult life, and an increasing number are surviving into their 40s. Patients with end-stage disease can be treated by heart-lung transplantation (with their own heart going to another recipient). Research is underway on the possible use of GENE THERAPY to control the disorder. Parents of children with cystic ?brosis, seeking help and advice, can obtain this from the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.... cystic fibrosis

An abnormal sac-like swelling covered by a supporting membrane containing fluid of different consistencies which cannot escape into the general circulation.

Breast. Harmless breast tumours and cysts are common in women over 40. They may form a lump, be with or without pain. Sometimes there is a light blood-stained discharge from the nipple (Poke root). Ovary. See OVARIES.

Dermoid. May be made up of hair and skin (Greater Celandine).

Hydatid. Caused by parasitic infection (Thuja).

Sebaceous. Caused by blockage of a gland of the skin by a plug of fat (Marigold ointment).

A spot, often on the upper back, may irritate and itch and be diagnosed as a lipoma. Before resorting to surgery, external application of any one of the following may prove helpful: Castor oil, Liquid Extract Thuja, Blood root.

Cervical. Chaparral tea douche.

Dr John R. Christopher recommends: Poultice of Walnut leaves or bark. Chaparral, externally. Apple cider vinegar. ... cyst

The surgical excision of the bladder (see URINARY BLADDER). When this is done – usually to treat cancer of the bladder – an alternative means of collecting urine from the KIDNEYS must be arranged. The URETERS of the kidney can be transplanted into a loop of bowel which is brought to the surface of the abdomen to form a STOMA that exits into an externally worn pouch. The latest surgical technique is to fashion a substitute bladder from a section of intestine and to implant the ureters into it, thus allowing the patient to void urine through the urethra as normal.... cystectomy

This disease rarely occurs except in Central Europe, Ethiopia, South Africa, and part of Asia. It results from ova (eggs) being swallowed or regurgitated into the stomach from an adult pork tapeworm in the intestine. In the stomach the larvae escape from the eggs and are absorbed. They are carried in the blood to various parts of the body, most commonly the subcutaneous tissue and skeletal muscle, where they develop and form cysticerci. When super?cial, they may be felt under the skin as small pea-like bodies. Although they cause no symptoms here, cysts may also develop in the brain. Five years later the larvae die, and the brain-tissue reaction may result in epileptic ?ts, obscure neurological disorders, and personality changes. The cysts calcify at this stage, though to a greater degree in the muscles than the brain, allowing them to be seen radiologically. Epilepsy starting in adult life, in anyone who has previously lived in an endemic area, should suggest the possibility of cysticercosis. (See also TAENIASIS.)

Treatment Most important is prevention of the initial tapeworm infection, by ensuring that pork is well cooked before it is eaten. Nurses and others attending to a patient harbouring an adult tapeworm must be careful to avoid ingesting ova from contaminated hands. The tapeworm itself can be destroyed with NICLOSAMIDE. Brain infections are treated with sedatives and anti-convulsants, surgery rarely being necessary. Most patients make a good recovery.... cysticercosis

A technique for measuring the pressure in the URINARY BLADDER as part of a URODYNAMIC investigation to assess the functioning of the bladder.... cystometry

See CYSTS.... dermoid cyst

A misnomer applied to epidermoid cysts of the skin whose contents are kerateous not sebaceous. The common ‘wen’ of the scalp arises from follicular epithelium and is similar.... sebaceous cyst

A cyst arising in the neck from remnants of the embryological branchial clefts. They are usually ?uid-?lled and will therefore transilluminate.... branchial cyst

Benign tumour of epithelial tissue forming cysts.... cystadenoma

Pain in the urinary bladder... cystalgia

An amino acid containing SULPHUR that is an essential constituent of many of the body’s enzymes. (See AMINO ACIDS; ENZYME.)... cysteine

The tube that runs from the gall-bladder (see LIVER) and joins up with the hepatic duct (formed from the bile ducts) to form the common BILE DUCT. The BILE produced by the liver cells is drained through this system and enters the small intestine to help in the digestion of food.... cystic duct

Larval stage of tapeworms belonging to the genus Taenia. Also known as bladderworms. The cysticercus of the Pork Tapeworm is called Cysticercus cellulosae and is the cause of human cysticercosis.... cysticercus

Mucous discharge from the bladder... cystorrhea

Numerous glands within the tarsal plates of the eyelids. Their secretions form part of the tears. (See EYE.)... meibomian glands

See: FIBROCYSTIC BREAST DISEASE. ... breast, cyst

A fluid-filled lump behind the knee. A Baker’s cyst is caused by increased pressure in the knee joint due to a buildup of fluid in a disorder such as rheumatoid arthritis. Most Baker’s cysts are painless, and some disappear spontaneously. Occasionally, a cyst may rupture, producing pain and swelling in the calf that can mimic a deep vein thrombosis (see thrombosis, deep vein). Diagnosis of a Baker’s cyst is confirmed by ultrasound scanning. Treatment is rarely needed.... baker’s cyst

The presence of cystin in the urine, sometimes during pregnancy. Hereditary. A weakness of metabolism associated with increased urinary excretion of cystine – an amino acid – which leads to the formation of kidney stone. Its presence increases the risk of urinary tract infection, obstruction and the possibility of renal failure. Cases will require specialist hospital treatment, being necessary to screen urine at 3 to 6 months of pregnancy.

Plenty of fluids are indicated. Where these are supplied by herb teas a double purpose is served; these advised being of proven value for pregnancy and parturition.

Tea. Equal parts: Raspberry leaves, Cornsilk. 2 teaspoons to each cup boiling water; infuse 5-15 minutes. 1 cup 3-4 times daily. ... cystinuria

A swelling in the vagina that is formed where the bladder pushes against weakened tissues in the vaginal wall.

Cystocele may be associated with a prolapsed uterus (see uterus, prolapse of).

If the urethra is pulled out of position by a cystocele, it may cause stress incontinence or incomplete emptying of the bladder, leading to infection of the retained urine (see cystitis).

Pelvic floor exercises may relieve symptoms.

Surgery may be used to lift and tighten the tissues at the front of the vagina.... cystocele

The examination of the urethra and bladder using a cystoscope inserted up the urethra. A cystoscope is a rigid metal or flexible fibre-optic viewing instrument, sometimes with a camera at the tip (see endoscopy). Cystoscopy is used to inspect the bladder for calculi, bladder tumours, and sites of bleeding and infection, and to obtain urine samples from the ureters to look for infection or tumour cells. Radiopaque dye may be injected into the ureters via the cystoscope during the X-ray procedure of retrograde pyelography (see urography).

Treatment, including removal of bladder tumours or calculi and insertion of stents (narrow tubes) into a ureter to relieve an obstruction, can all be performed via the cystoscope.... cystoscopy

The surgical creation of a hole in the bladder usually performed to drain urine when the introduction of a catheter is inadvisable or impossible.... cystostomy

An abnormal, fluid-filled swelling in an ovary. Ovarian cysts are common and, in most cases, noncancerous. The most common type, a follicular cyst, is one in which the egg-producing follicle enlarges and fills with fluid. Cysts may also occur in the corpus luteum, a mass of tissue that forms from the follicle after ovulation. Other types include dermoid cysts and cancerous cysts (see ovary, cancer of).

Ovarian cysts are often symptomless, but some cause abdominal discomfort, pain during intercourse, or irregularities of menstruation such as amenorrhoea, menorrhagia, or dysmenorrhoea. Severe abdominal pain, nausea, and fever may develop if twisting or rupture of a cyst occurs. This condition requires surgery.An ovarian cyst may be discovered during a routine pelvic examination and its position and size confirmed by ultrasound or laparoscopy. In many cases, simple ovarian cysts – thin-walled or fluid-filled cysts – resolve themselves. However, complex cysts (such as dermoid cysts) usually require surgical removal. If an ovarian cyst is particularly large, the ovary may need to be removed (see oophorectomy).... ovarian cyst

A larval form of a tapeworm (e.g. Hymenolepis) which has a solid body and no bladder.... cysticercoid

A PROLAPSE of the base of the URINARY BLADDER in a woman. The pelvic ?oor muscles may be weakened after childbirth and, when the woman strains, the front wall of the vagina bulges. Stress incontinence often accompanies a cystocoele and surgical repair is then advisable (see COLPORRHAPHY).... cystocoele

Pain in the urinary bladder... cystodynia

An X-ray picture of the URINARY BLADDER.... cystogram

An instrument for measuring the pressure in the URINARY BLADDER.... cystometer

An instrument for viewing the interior of the URINARY BLADDER. It consists of a narrow tube carrying a small electric lamp at its end; a small mirror set obliquely opposite an opening near the end of the tube; and a telescope which is passed down the tube and by which the re?ection of the brightly illuminated bladder wall in the mirror is examined. It is of great value in the diagnosis of conditions like ulcers and small tumours of the bladder.

Fine CATHETERS can be passed along the cystoscope, and by the aid of vision can be inserted into each ureter and pushed up to the kidney, so that the urine from each kidney may be obtained and examined separately in order to diagnose which of these organs is diseased.... cystoscope

Hollow tumours (see TUMOUR), containing ?uid or soft material. They are almost always simple in nature.

Retention cysts In these, in consequence of irritation or another cause, some cavity which ought naturally to contain a little ?uid becomes distended, or the natural outlet from the cavity becomes blocked. Wens are caused by the blockage of the outlet from sebaceous glands in the skin, so that an accumulation of fatty matter takes place. RANULA is a clear swelling under the tongue, due to a collection of saliva in consequence of an obstruction to a salivary duct. Cysts in the breasts are, in many cases, the result of blockage in milk ducts, due to in?ammation; they should be assessed to exclude cancer (see BREASTS, DISEASES OF). Cysts also form in the kidney as a result of obstruction to the free out?ow of the urine.

Developmental cysts Of these, the most important are the huge cysts that originate in the OVARIES. The cause is doubtful, but the cyst probably begins at a very early period of life, gradually enlarges, and buds o? smaller cysts from its wall. The contents are usually a clear gelatinous ?uid. Very often both ovaries are affected, and the cysts may slowly reach a great size – often, however, taking a lifetime to do so.

A similar condition sometimes occurs in the KIDNEYS, and the tumour may have reached a great size in an infant even before birth (congenital cystic kidney).

Dermoid cysts are small cavities, which also originate probably early in life, but do not reach any great size until fairly late in life. They appear about parts of the body where clefts occur in the embryo and close up before birth, such as the corner of the eyes, the side of the neck, and the middle line of the body. They contain hair, fatty matter, fragments of bone, scraps of skin, even numerous teeth.

Hydatid cysts are produced in many organs, particularly in the liver, by a parasite which is the larval stage of a tapeworm found in dogs. They occur in people who keep dogs and allow them to contaminate their food. (See TAENIASIS.)... cysts

A cyst formed by endogenous or exogenous budding from the germinal layer of a hydatid.... daughter cyst

Urethral irritation from excess sexual activity...or as a famous French writer described it,”the plentiful rubbing together of bacons.... honeymoon cystitis

A pathological rather than a clinical entity. The term refers to the replacement of BONE by a highly cellular and vascular connective tissue. It is the result of osteoclastic and osteoblastic activity and is due to excessive PARATHYROID activity. It is thus seen in a proportion of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and in patients with uraemic osteodystrophy; that is, the secondary hyperparathyroidism that occurs in patients with chronic renal disease.... osteitis fibrosa cystica

Bartholin’s glands are two lubricating glands at the entrance of the vagina which may be blocked by a cyst or plugged with mucous secretion.

Symptoms: Soreness and discomfort between legs, with swelling sometimes as big as a pigeon’s egg. Abscesses form when drainage is impeded.

Treatment. Surgery: a permanent opening created to facilitate drainage or, in case of a cyst, its extirpation. Responses have been observed in external use of highly diluted oil of Eucalyptus. Alternatives: internal or external use of Walnut leaves. Topical use of fresh Plantain juice. Cider vinegar. ... bartholin’s cyst

A cyst on the cervix of the womb. Ducts of the glands may be plugged with mucus and manifest as white pimples of the size of grape shot and which cause little harm. Often the result of irritation from contraceptives.

Treatment: usually by cauterisation.

See: CYST, CERVICAL. ... nabothian cyst

An abnormal cavity in a bone.

Bone cysts typically develop at one end of a long bone and maybe discovered only by chance after a bone fracture at the site of the cyst.

Minor surgery to scrape out the cyst and fill the the cavity with bone chips usually cures the condition, although many small cysts do not need treatment.... bone cyst

Relating to the bladder, as in cystitis (inflammation of the bladder).... cyst-/cysto-

An X-ray procedure for studying the bladder while urine is passed. Micturating cystourethrography is most commonly used in young children to detect abnormal reflux of urine as the bladder empties.... cystourethrography, micturating

A harmless swelling, usually painless, that develops in the epididymis.

Small cysts are common in men over 40 and need no treatment.

Rarely, they become tender or enlarge and cause discomfort, in which case surgical removal may be necessary.... epididymal cyst

A lymphangioma that occurs around the head and neck, the armpits, or the groin and contains clear fluid. Cystic hygromas are usually present from birth and disappear naturally from the age of about 2.... hygroma, cystic

A fluid-filled sac in the kidney. Most kidney cysts are noncancerous. Cysts commonly develop in people over 50 and may occur singly or multiply in 1 or both kidneys. Most cysts occur for no known reason and do not usually produce symptoms unless they become large enough to cause pain in the lower back due to pressure. However, large numbers of cysts in the kidneys may be associated with polycystic kidney disease (see kidney, polycystic), which often leads to kidney failure. Treatment of simple cysts is not usually necessary, but aspiration (withdrawal of fluid) or surgical removal may be carried out if a cyst is painful or recurs.... kidney cyst

adj. 1. of, relating to, or characterized by cysts. 2. of or relating to the gall bladder or urinary bladder.... cystic

a collection of fluid behind the neck of a fetus, occasionally extending laterally to involve the sides of the neck (see hydrops fetalis). In its mildest form it is evidenced by an increased nuchal translucency (see nuchal translucency scanning). Cystic hygroma may be a diagnostic feature of chromosomal abnormality (e.g. Down’s syndrome, Turner’s syndrome).... cystic hygroma

n. see amino acid.... cystine

n. an inborn defect in the metabolism of amino acids, leading to abnormal accumulation of the amino acid cystine in the blood, kidneys, and lymphatic system. See also Fanconi syndrome.... cystinosis

n. a fine curved needle with a hooked tip or a small knife with a tiny curved or hooked blade, used to create an opening in the lens capsule in the type of operation for cataract in which the capsule is left behind (extracapsular *cataract extraction; see phacoemulsification).... cystitome

n. X-ray examination of the urinary bladder after filling it with a contrast medium. The X-ray images thus obtained are known as cystograms. Cystography is most commonly performed to detect reflux of urine from the bladder to the ureters, usually in children (see vesicoureteric reflux). In adults it is often performed to detect bladder injury or perforation. If films are taken during voiding (micturating cystourethrogram) then the urethra can also be observed (see urethrography). The examination can also be performed in conjunction with manometry (see bladder pressure study).... cystography

swelling of the central area of the retina (macula), usually occurring as a result of trauma, posterior *uveitis, or ocular surgery.... cystoid macular oedema

n. the presence of stones (calculi) in the urinary bladder. The stones are either formed in the bladder, due to obstruction, urinary statis, and infection (primary calculi), or pass to the bladder after being formed in the kidneys (secondary calculi). They cause pain, the passage of bloody urine, and interruption of the urinary stream and should be removed surgically. See calculus.... cystolithiasis

(vesicofixation) n. a surgical operation to fix the urinary bladder (or a portion of it) in a different position. It may be performed as part of the repair or correction of a prolapsed bladder.... cystopexy

n. an operation to enlarge the capacity of and to decrease the pressure within the bladder by incorporating a segment of bowel. In a clam cystoplasty, the bladder is cut across transversely from one side of the neck to the other side through the dome (fundus) of the bladder and a length of the ileum, jejunum, or colon is inserted as a patch. In the operation of ileocaecocystoplasty, the dome is removed by cutting across the bladder transversely or sagittally above the openings of the ureters; it is replaced by an isolated segment of caecum and terminal ileum. In ileocystoplasty the bladder is enlarged by an opened-out portion of small intestine. The bladder may be totally replaced by a reservoir constructed from either small or large intestine (see cystectomy).... cystoplasty

a malignant tumour of the connective tissue of the breast: it accounts for approximately 1% of all breast cancers. Such tumours may show a wide variation in cell structure and they often present as a large mass but without distant spread. The best treatment for a localized tumour is simple *mastectomy.... cystosarcoma phylloides

n. surgical incision into the urinary bladder, usually by cutting through the abdominal wall above the pubic symphysis (suprapubic cystotomy). This is necessary for such operations as removing stones or tumours from the bladder and for gaining access to the prostate gland in the operation of transvesical *prostatectomy.... cystotomy

see sebaceous cyst.... epidermoid cyst

a simple cyst of the *fimbria of the Fallopian tube.... fimbrial cyst

see ovarian cyst.... follicular cyst

vaginal cysts, usually small, that arise from Gartner’s duct – remnants of the Wolffian duct (see mesonephros) in females. No treatment is necessary if the cysts are small and not symptomatic, but surgical *marsupialization or excision may be required if they are large and cause obstruction. [H. T. Gartner (1785–1827), Danish surgeon and anatomist]... gartner’s duct cysts

a chronic nonbacterial inflammation of the bladder accompanied by an urgent desire to pass urine frequently and bladder pain; it is sometimes associated with an ulcer in the bladder wall (Hunner’s ulcer). The cause is unknown and *contracture of the bladder eventually occurs. Treatment is by distension of the bladder under spinal or epidural anaesthetic, instillation of anti-inflammatory solutions into the bladder, and administration of steroids or *NSAIDs. Bladder enhancement or augmentation (see cystoplasty) may be required for a contracted bladder.... interstitial cystitis

see ovarian cyst.... luteal cyst

(MCU) see urethrography.... micturating cystourethrogram

a small (and often painful) cyst containing a thick sticky fluid that develops over the end joint of a finger or toe. It may be in communication with the underlying joint.... myxoid cyst