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Definition Home care is a form of health care service provided where a patient lives. Patients can receive home care services whether they live in their own homes, with or without family members, or in an assisted living facility. The purpose of home care is to promote, maintain, or restore a... Expert

Definition A hospital-acquired infection, also called a nosocomial infection, is an infection that first appears between 48 hours and four days after a patient is admitted to a hospital or other health-care facility. Encyclopedia of Surgery: A Guide for Patients and Caregivers Expert

Definition Incision care refers to a series of procedures and precautions related to closing a wound or surgical incision; protecting the cut or injured tissues from contamination or infection; and caring properly for the new skin that forms during the healing process. Incision care begins in the hospital or outpatient clinic... Expert

Definition Informed consent is a legal document in all 50 states. It is an agreement for a proposed medical treatment or non-treatment, or for a proposed invasive procedure. It requires physicians to disclose the benefits, risks, and alternatives to the proposed treatment, non-treatment, or procedure. It is the method by which... Expert

Definition An intensive care unit, or ICU, is a specialized section of a hospital that provides comprehensive and continuous care for persons who are critically ill and who can benefit from treatment. Encyclopedia of Surgery: A Guide for Patients and Caregivers Expert

Definition Laceration repair includes all the steps required to treat a wound in order to promote healing and minimize the risks of infection, premature splitting of sutures (dehiscence), and poor cosmetic result. Encyclopedia of Surgery: A Guide for Patients and Caregivers Expert

Definition Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a unique and versatile medical imaging diagnostic tool. Using MRI, physicians obtain highly refined images of the body's interior. Strong magnetic fields and pulses of radio waves manipulate the body's natural magnetic, producing images not possible with other diagnostic imaging methods. MRI is particularly useful... Expert

Definition Microsurgery is surgery that is performed on very small structures, such as blood vessels and nerves, with specialized instruments under a microscope. Encyclopedia of Surgery: A Guide for Patients and Caregivers Expert

Definition Myelography is an x-ray examination of the spinal canal. A contrast agent is injected through a needle into the space around the spinal cord to display the spinal cord, spinal canal, and nerve roots on an x ray. Encyclopedia of Surgery: A Guide for Patients and Caregivers Expert

Definition Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are medications other than corticosteroids that relieve pain, swelling, stiffness, and inflammation. Encyclopedia of Surgery: A Guide for Patients and Caregivers Expert

Definition An operating room (OR), also called surgery center, is the unit of a hospital where surgical procedures are performed. Encyclopedia of Surgery: A Guide for Patients and Caregivers Expert

Definition Orthopaedic (sometimes spelled orthopedic) surgery is an operation performed by a medical specialist such as an orthopedist or orthopedic surgeon, who is trained to assess and treat problems that develop in the bones, joints, and ligaments of the human body. Encyclopedia of Surgery: A Guide for Patients and Caregivers Expert

Definition Outpatient surgery, also referred to as ambulatory surgery, is surgery that does not require an overnight hospital stay. Patients may go home after being released following surgery and time spent in the recovery room. Encyclopedia of Surgery: A Guide for Patients and Caregivers Expert

Definition If pain can be defined as a highly unpleasant, individualized experience of one of the body's defense mechanisms indicating an injury or problem, pain management encompasses all interventions used to understand and ease pain, and, if possible, to alleviate the cause of the pain. Encyclopedia of Surgery: A Guide for Patients... Expert

Definition Confidentiality is the right of an individual to have personal, identifiable medical information kept private. Such information should be available only to the physician of record and other health care and insurance personnel as necessary. As of 2003, patient confidentiality was protected by federal statute. Encyclopedia of Surgery: A Guide for...