- Pap smear
- Cervical secretions collected and examined for pre-cancerous cells of the cervix.
- Para cervical vesico fascia
- Fascia layer connecting bladder to anterior surface of the uterus.
- Pathology
- Diseases in all aspects - and especially in structural and functional changes.
- Peer Review Organization (PRO)
- An organization established by the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (TEFRA) to review quality of care and appropriateness of admissions, readmissions and discharges for Medicare and Medicaid.
- Pelvic
- Having to do with the lower trunk of the body.
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
- Bacterial infection of the pelvic area, generally an STD.
- Penile implant
- A treatment for men with erectile dysfunction. A prosthesis is surgically placed into the shaft of the penis to provide an erection when desired.
- Peripheral
- Having to do with the outside edge or portion of a region or area.
- PHP
- A Prepaid Health Plan is a entity that either contracts on a prepaid, capitated risk basis to provide services that are not risk-comprehensive services, or contracts on a non-risk basis. Additionally, some entities that meet the above definition of HMOs are treated as PHPs through special statutory exemptions.
- Point of Service Plan (POS) HMO
- The latest development in managed care, this type of HMO allows the patient to see either an in-network or out-of-network provider. But the patient pays more for opting out of the system. In those instances, reimbursement is only 50 to 80 percent, the patient must submit a claim and has deductible and co-payment charges, just as he would under a traditional fee-for-service insurance policy.
- Point-Of-Service Plan
- A health services delivery organization that offers the option to its members to choose to receive a service from participating or a nonparticipating provider. Generally the level of coverage is reduced for services associated with the use of non-participating providers.
- Polyp
- A tumor with a pedicle (a stem which attaches a new growth), commonly found in vascular organs.
- Post-void residual measurement
- A test that measures the amount of urine that remains in the bladder after urinating.
- Postmenopausal bleeding
- Recurrence of bleeding after the menstrual cycle has ceased.
- Preferred provider
- Physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers who contract to provide health services to persons covered by a particular health plan.
- Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)
- A health care delivery system that contracts with providers of medical care to provide services at discounted fees to members. Members may seek care form non-participating providers but generally are financially penalized for doing so by the loss of the discount and subjection to copayments and deductibles.
- Premium
- Money paid out in advance for insurance coverage.
- Prepayment
- A method of paying for the cost of health care services in advance of their use.
- Pressure-regulating balloon (AMS Sphincter 800 & Acticon)
- The balloon is implanted in the abdominal cavity. This balloon contains fluid that refills the cuff to prevent the flow of urine or stool.
- Preventive health care
- Health care that seeks to prevent or foster early detection of disease and morbidity and focuses on keeping patients well in addition to healing them while they are sick.
- Primary Care Network (PCN)
- A group of primary care physicians who share the risk of providing care to members of a given health plan.
- Primary Care Provider (PCP)
- The provider that serves as the initial interface between the member and the medical care system. The PCP is usually a physician, selected by the member upon enrollment, who is trained in one of the primary care specialties who treats and is responsible for coordinating the treatment of members assigned to his/her plan. (See Gatekeeper).
- Prior authorization
- Procedure used to control utilization of services by prospective reviewing and approval.
- Professional review organization
- An organization which reviews the services provided to patients in terms of medical necessity professional standards; and appropriateness of setting.
- Progesterone
- A female hormone secreted by the ovaries; while affecting secondary sexual characteristics, it also completes the menstrual cycle by stopping the growth of the endometrium; prepares the body for pregnancy.
- Proliferative phase
- Days 7-16 of cycle (begins after prior month's shedding has stopped). Estrogen levels rise resulting in growth of the endometrial walls in the uterus.
- Prophylactic
- Precautionary.
- Prostaglandin
- A metabolic compound produced by the body that is a potent vasodilator (vasodilation results in significant cramping).
- Prostate
- A gland in men that surrounds the urethra and discharges fluid into it.
- Prosthesis
- A device that replaces or mimics performance of a natural body part or function.
- Proximal
- A medical term that means"nearest to the point of origin". For example, the proximal portion of the leg is near the hip joint, where it "originates" in the body.
- Pump (AMS Sphincter 800)
- The pump lies in the scrotum and can be felt through the skin. The lower part of the pump is soft and squeezable. The upper part of the pump is hard and contains the deactivation button. This pump opens the cuff to allow the flow of urine.
- Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB)
- A person whose income level is such that the state pays the Medicare Part B Premiums, deductibles and co-payments.
- Quality assurance
- A formal methodology and set of activities designed to access the quality of services provided. Quality assurance includes formal review of care, problem identification, corrective actions to remedy any deficiencies and evaluation of actions taken.
- Radiation therapy
- Medical treatments using x-rays or radioactive materials to kill cancerous or diseased tissues.
- Radiofrequency energy
- Low frequency electrical energy generally in the 100 to 900 MHz range.
- Radiology
- Radiant energy and substances used in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
- Recurrent bulbar urethral stricture
- A narrowing of the bulbar urethra that keeps returning even after treatment.
- Reduced outlet resistance
- A normal sphincter blocks the bladder outlet and stops urine flow. When the sphincter fails, this block on the bladder outlet is reduced and urine flow is not completely stopped. Reduced outlet resistance is also known as intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD).
- Reflex voiding
- A method of starting urination, sometimes used by individuals who cannot voluntarily empty their bladders.
- Resection
- Surgical removal of a part of an organ or body part with repair of the cut end, ends or portion.
- Resectoscope
- Hysteroscope designed with capacity to support a device for resecting or ablating tissue within the uterus.
- Retrograde ejaculation
- During sexual climax, semen normally leaves the ejaculatory duct and moves through the urine canal until it comes out the end of the penis. If a man's semen instead moves through the urine canal and ends up in the bladder, this is called retrograde ejaculation. If retrograde ejaculation occurs, the semen then leaves the body the next time the man urinates.
- Retroverted uterus
- The uterus bends sharply backward (toward the patient's back).
- Revision
- A surgery to reposition, replace or remove your implant.
- Sacral nerves
- Nerves at the base of the spine that control behavior of the bladder, sphincter and pelvic floor muscles.
- Sagittal
- Vertical planes dividing the body into equal right and left halves.
- Saline
- A fluid composed of salt and water.
- Scrotum
- The pouch of skin containing the testicles.
- Secretory phase
- Phase of menstrual cycle that occurs in the days after ovulation occurs. Progesterone secretion increases which in turn, stops the growth of endometrium.
- Sedative
- Medicine that calms.
- Septate uterus
- Anatomical division of the uterus into multiple cavities.
- Serosal surface
- Serous membrane which coats the outer part of the uterus.
- Serosanguineous
- Clear portion of body fluid that indicates an inflammatory or immune response (associated with discharge following procedure).
- Shared savings
- A provision of most prepaid health care plans where at least part of the providers' income is directly linked to the financial performance of the plan. If costs are lower than projections, a percentage of these savings are referred to the providers.
- Sling
- A piece of tissue or synthetic material processed for implantation in the body.
- Solid silicone elastomers
- A rubber-like material used to make the device. Solid silicone elastomers have been extensively tested for use in the human body.
- SPARC Sling System
- Trademarked system from American Medical Systems for placement of a sling to support the female urethra.
- Speculum
- Instrument used to create an opening in the vagina thus providing access to the cervix.
- Sphincter (Urinary)
- The urinary sphincter controls the flow of urine and is located in the area of the bladder neck and urethra. It opens when the bladder is full and shuts when the bladder is empty.
- Sphincter 800 Urinary Prosthesis
- Trademarked implantable artificial sphincter from American Medical Systems; controlled by patient, mimics natural sphincter function.
- Stabilized (UroLume)
- When the prosthesis is held in position by urethral tissue.
- Staff Model HMO
- A type of HMO that hires its own doctors. These physicians usually practice under one roof and are salaried by the plan.
- Stenosis
- Narrowing or stricture of a normal opening (i.e. cervical stenosis).
- Stoma
- Often used interchangeably with ostomy. A stoma refers to the end of the large or small bowel that can be seen protruding through the abdominal wall.
- Stones
- Deposits of calcium and other chemicals that may form in the urine. The deposits are most often passed out of the body in the urine. Occasionally, these deposits may become lodged in the kidneys, ureters, bladder or urine canal and require medical or surgical treatment.
- Straight-In Sacral Colpopexy System
- Trademarked system from American Medical Systems for fixation of the vaginal apex to the sacrum for correction of vaginal vault prolapse.
- Stress incontinence
- Involuntary loss of urine that occurs during physical activities that create additional abdominal pressure such as coughing, laughing and sneezing.
- Stress test
- A test that measures the amount of urine lost when pressure is put on the bladder muscles through common physical activities such as lifting, exercise and coughing.
- Stricture
- An abnormal narrowing of a passage in the body.
- Supine
- Lying on the back, facing up.
- Suprapubic catheter
- A tube inserted through the skin and tissue of the lower abdomen into the bladder. A balloon on one end of the catheter holds it in place in the bladder. The tube remains in the bladder and drains constantly, so the bladder is never full. The other end of the catheter tube is attached to a urine collection bag. When this type of catheter is used, it is put in place by a doctor.
- Suprapubic tube
- A catheter placed through the abdominal wall to drain urine from the bladder without its going through the urethra.
- Surgical revision
- A surgery to replace, reposition or remove an implant.
- Suture
- A special thread used in surgical procedures.
- Symptom
- A physical condition or indication of a disease or disorder.
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