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(ri-sŭs′ĭ-tāt-ŏr) [L. resuscitare, to raise up again, rebuild] A device to assist breathing, used to oxygenate and ventilate a patient who can no longer breathe spontaneously. Most resuscitators are portable and capable of delivering high concentrations of oxygen.
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manual r. A handheld mask with an attached self-inflating bag, which permits air to be forced into the lungs each time it is squeezed. Manual resuscitators can be difficult to use properly. Complications can arise if the mask does not seal the patient’s face properly, if excessive pressure is used during ventilation, if inadequate supplemental oxygen is provided, or if the rate or volume of ventilations is excessive or insufficient to inflate the lungs and remove carbon dioxide.
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(rĕs-vĕr′ă-trŏl) A plant-derived polyphenol that is structurally related to diethylstilbestrol. It is found in grapes and wine, and is believed to have antioxidant effects.
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resynchronization therapy
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(rē″sing″krŏ-nĭ-zā′shŏn) [re- + synchronize] The use of left and right ventricular pace-making in patients with congestive heart failure and bundle branch block to restore the normal timing of ventricular depolarization. Resynchronization reduces symptoms of heart failure and improves prognosis in patients with the disease. SYN: cardiac resynchronization therapy.
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retained foreign object (surgical)
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ABBR: RFO. Any implement used in surgery left inside the patient after the surgery is completed. The rate of retention is estimated at 1 in 7000 procedures. The most common objects left inside the patient are sponges. Surgical packing, sharp objects such as sutures or needles, and operative instruments are also occasionally unaccounted for postoperatively.
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Strict protocols for evaluation of the operating theatre and the surgical wound must be employed to prevent leaving foreign objects inside surgical wounds. These include: accounting for all surgical materials before, during, and after an operation; exploring the wound meticulously whenever a discrepancy in a surgical count is identified; performing radiological studies, as indicated, to identify lost implements; and keeping clear and complete documentation of all findings is done. In spite of these measures, an RFO may not be identified until after the patient has left the operating room (short term or long term interval) necessitating subsequent removal.
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(rĭ-tān′ĕr) 1. Any device or attachment for keeping something in place. 2. In dentistry, a fixed or removable appliance used in orthodontia for maintaining the teeth and jaws in position.
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(rĭ-tăr′dāt) [L. retardare, to delay] One who is mentally retarded.
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(rē″tar″dā′shŏn) [L. retardatio, a delay] 1. A holding back or slowing down; a delay. 2. Delayed mental or physical response resulting from pathological conditions. Particular retardations are listed under the first word. SEE: e.g., intrauterine growth retardation; mental retardation; psychomotor retardation.