Dictionary

rhinitis Irritation of the nose.

rhinitis, acute Inflammation of the nose that occurs for only a few days. Typically, acute rhinitis is caused by a virus (a cold).

rhinitis, chronic Inflammation of the nose that lasts for weeks to months. Chronic rhinitis may be caused by bacterial infection, allergy, nasal irritants, structural issues, or physiological problems.

rhinitis, vasomotor Inflammation of the nose due to abnormal neuronal (nerve) control of the blood vessels in the nose. Vasomotor rhinitis is not an allergic reaction as is allergic rhinitis. It is brought on by irritation of the nose, frequently by cool temperatures.

rhinophyma A condition characterized by a bulbous, enlarged red nose and puffy cheeks. There may also be thick bumps on the lower half of the nose and the nearby cheek areas. Rhinophyma occurs mainly in men, and it is a complication of the common skin disease rosacea. See also rosacea.

rhinoplasty Plastic surgery on the nose, known familiarly as a nose job. Rhinoplasty is a facial cosmetic procedure that is usually performed to enhance the appearance of the nose. During this type of rhinoplasty, the nasal cartilage and bones are modified, or tissue is added. Rhinoplasty is also performed to repair nasal fractures and other…

RhoGAM RhO(D) immune globulin, an injectable drug that is used to protect an Rh+ fetus from antibodies in an Rh- mother’s blood and to prevent Rh allergy in the mother.

rhythm method See natural family planning.

retinal vasculitis Inflammation of the tiny blood vessels of the retina. Retinal vasculitis ranges in severity from mild to severe. Damage to the blood vessels of the retina can cause minimal, partial, or even complete blindness. Retinal vasculitis by itself is painless, but many of the diseases that cause it can also cause painful inflammation…

retinitis pigmentosa A group of inherited disorders in which abnormalities of the photoreceptors (the rods and cones) of the retina lead to progressive visual loss. Abbreviated RP. People with RP first experience defective dark adaptation (night blindness), then constriction of the visual field (tunnel vision), and eventually, late in the course of the disease, loss…

retinitis pigmentosa and deafness See Usher syndrome.

retinoblastoma A malignant eye tumor usually seen in children, that arises in cells in the developing retina that contain cancer-predisposing mutations in both copies of the gene RB1. Abbreviated RB. The most common sign of RB is a white pupillary reflex to light (leukocoria). There are two forms of RB: hereditary and sporadic. The inherited…