Life-Sustaining Intervention - Limit

life-sustaining intervention

Any method, medicine, or device used to replace an essential physiological function and therefore to prolong life. Whether, when, and how to use life-sustaining treatments are difficult topics that require careful consideration by patients, their surrogates, and health care professionals. SEE: advance directive; living will.

life-sustaining therapy

Therapy of a critically ill patient that, if discontinued, would cause the patient to die. SEE: life support.

Li-Fraumeni syndrome

[Fredrick Pei Li, Chinese-born U.S. epidemiologist, b. 1940; Joseph F. Fraumeni, Jr., U.S. epidemiologist, b. 1933] An inherited condition in which individuals develop multiple primary tumors, including breast cancer, osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, soft tissue sarcoma, brain tumors, adrenal cortex tumors, etc. Mutations of the p53 gene on chromosome 17 are responsible for this disease.

lift

(lift) 1. To raise or elevate. 2. A material used to equalize the length of a shortened side of the body with the unshortened, normal, side, as on a shoe. SYN: wedge (3). 3. A device that carries or weighs a patient.

 arm l. A colloquial term for brachioplasty.

 breast l. A colloquial term for mastopexy.

 sinus l. Sinus augmentation.

 wheelchair l. A device that provides safe vertical transport for a person in a wheelchair to enable him or her to access public conveyances such as city buses or public facilities.

lift team

Patient lift team.

ligament

(lig′ă-mĕnt) [L. ligamentum, a band] 1. A band or sheet of strong fibrous connective tissue connecting the articular ends of bones, binding them together to limit motion. 2. A thickened portion or fold of peritoneum or mesentery that supports a visceral organ or connects it to another viscus. 3. A band of fibrous connective tissue connecting bones, cartilages, and other structures and serving to support or attach fascia or muscles. 4. A cordlike structure representing the vestigial remains of a fetal blood vessel.

 anterior cruciate l. ABBR: ACL. The ligament of the knee that originates on the anteromedial portion of the intercondylar eminence of the tibia, passes laterally to the posterior cruciate ligament, and attaches on the medial portion of the posterior aspect of the lateral femoral condyle. The ACL prevents anterior displacement of the tibia relative to the femur, internal and external rotation of the tibia on the femur, and hyperextension of the tibiofemoral joint.

 SYMPTOMS: A torn ACL causes pain and functional instability in the knee.

 TREATMENT: Arthroscopic surgery is usually necessary to repair torn ACLs. Sometimes open surgery, or arthrotomy, is necessary for particularly complex repairs.

 arcuate l. Any of three ligaments ...