varicose vein A vein that has enlarged and twisted, often appearing as a bulging, blue blood vessel that is clearly visible through the skin. Varicose veins are most common in older adults, particularly women, and occur especially on the legs. Varicose veins can cause cramping pain and movement problems, or they may simply be a…
varicosity 1 An enlarged and tortuous vein, artery, or lymphatic vessel. 2 Specifically, a varicose vein.
variola See smallpox.
varix An enlarged and convoluted vein, artery, or lymphatic vessel. Treatment of varices depends on where they are and whether they are causing problems. A varix in the esophagus can be caused by severe liver disease and can lead to bleeding. This form of varix can require treatment to prevent dangerous bleeding.
vas deferens The tube that connects the testes with the urethra. The vas deferens is a coiled duct that conveys sperm from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct and the urethra.
vasa previa A condition in which blood vessels within the placenta or the umbilical cord are trapped between the fetus and the opening to the birth canal. Vasa previa carries a high risk that the fetus will die from blood loss due to a vessel tearing at the time the fetal membranes rupture or during…
vascular Relating to blood vessels. For example, the vascular system in the body includes all of the veins and arteries. And, a vascular surgeon is an expert at evaluating and treating problems of the veins and arteries.
vascular bed The vascular system, or a part thereof. For example, the pulmonary vascular bed describes the blood vessels of the lungs.
vascular dementia A common form of dementia in older persons that is due to cerebrovascular disease, usually with stepwise deterioration from a series of small strokes and a patchy distribution of neurologic deficits affecting some functions and not others. Risk factors include high blood pressure and advanced age. Symptoms include confusion, problems with recent memory,…
vascular endothelial growth factor A gene that is responsible for the growth of blood vessels. Abbreviated VEG-F.
vasculitis A general term for a group of uncommon diseases that feature inflammation of the blood vessels. Each of the vasculitis diseases is defined by characteristic distributions of blood vessel involvement, patterns of organ involvement, and laboratory test abnormalities. The actual causes of these vasculitis diseases are usually not known, but immune system abnormality is…
vasculitis, allergic See Churg-Strauss syndrome.