AMNION
AMNIOCENTESIS Occasionally, excessive fluid is formed
Syringe Ultrasound
probe
Amniotic
fluid Ultrasound
beam
Bladder
Fetus
Cervix
Uterus Placenta
disorders such as haemophilia, cystic
fibrosis, and Tay–Sachs disease. Chemi-
cal analysis of amniotic fluid can help
to diagnose developmental abnorm-
alities such as spina bifida. Rhesus
incompatibility and maturity of the fetal
lungs can also be checked.
Amniocentesis is usually performed in
the 14th–18th week of pregnancy. It
slightly increases the risk of miscarriage
or early rupture of the membranes and is
therefore recommended only when the
fetus is thought to be at increased risk
of an abnormality. (See also antenatal
care, chorionic villus sampling.)
amnion One of the membranes that
surrounds the fetus in the uterus. The
outside of the amnion is covered by
another membrane called the chorion.
amniotic fluid The clear, watery fluid
(popularly called the “waters”) that sur-
rounds the fetus in the uterus. The fluid
is contained within the amniotic sac. It
cushions the fetus, allowing movement.
Amniotic fluid is produced by cells lin-
ing the amniotic sac and is constantly
circulated. It appears in the 1st week
after conception and gradually in-
creases in volume until the 10th week,
when the increase becomes very rapid.
27
AMOXICILLIN
(see polyhydramnios); less frequently,
A
insufficient amniotic fluid is formed
(see oligohydramnios).
amniotic sac The membranous bag that
surrounds the fetus and is filled with
amniotic fluid as pregnancy advances.
The sac is made up of 2 membranes, the
inner amnion and the outer chorion.
amniotomy Artificial rupture of the am-
niotic membranes (breaking the “waters”)
performed for induction of labour.
amoeba A type of protozoon (see proto-
zoa). An amoeba is a microscopic
single-celled organism with an irregular,
changeable shape. Amoebae live in
moist environments, such as fresh
water and soil. Some types of amoebae
are parasites of humans, causing dis-
eases such as amoebiasis.
amoebiasis An infection caused by the
amoeba ENTAMOEBA HISTOLYTICA, a tiny
single-celled parasite that lives in the
human large intestine. Amoebiasis is
spread through drinking water or eating
food contaminated by human excreta
containing cysts of the amoeba.
Some people carry the amoeba in their
intestines and excrete cysts but have no
symptoms. However, some strains in-
vade and ulcerate the intestinal wall,
causing diarrhoea and abdominal pain,
which may develop into full-blown
dysentery. The amoebae may spread via
the bloodstream to the liver, or, rarely,
the brain or lung, where they cause
abscesses. Symptoms of an amoebic
liver abscess are chills, fever, weight
loss, and painful enlargement of the liver.
Treatment of all forms of amoebiasis
is with drugs such as metronidazole or
diloxanide, which kill the parasite with-
in a few weeks, leading to full recovery.
amoebic dysentery See amoebiasis.
amoebicides A group of drugs used to
treat amoebiasis. Examples are dilox-
anide, and metronidazole.
amoxapine An antidepressant drug re-
lated to the tricyclics. Possible adverse
effects include blurred vision, dizziness,
drowsiness, abnormal muscular move-
ments, menstrual irregularities, and
breast enlargement.
amoxicillin A penicillin drug commonly
used to treat a variety of infections,
 AMOXYCILLIN
A including bronchitis, cystitis, and ear and
skin infections. Allergy to amoxicillin
causes a blotchy rash and, rarely, fever,
swelling of the mouth and tongue, itch-
ing, and breathing difficulty.
amoxycillin See amoxicillin.
amphetamine drugs See amfetamine
drugs.
amphotericin B A drug used to treat
fungal infections. Lozenges are used for
candidiasis of the mouth. Life-threaten-
ing infections, such as cryptococcosis
and histoplasmosis, are treated by injec-
tion. Adverse effects may occur with
injection and include vomiting, fever,
headache, and, rarely, seizures.
ampicillin A penicillin drug commonly
used to treat cystitis, bronchitis, and ear
infections. Diarrhoea is a common
adverse effect of ampicillin. Some peo-
ple are allergic to it and suffer from
rash, fever, swelling of the mouth and
tongue, itching, and breathing difficulty.
ampulla An enlarged, flask-shaped area
at the end of a tubular structure or
canal. There are several ampullae in the
body, including at the end of the fallo-
pian tubes, at the opening of the bile
duct into the intestine, and on each of
the semicircular canals of the inner ear.
AMPULLA
Semicircular canal Cochlea
Ampulla
Outer Middle Inner
ear ear ear
INNER EAR
Cochlea
LOCATION
amputation Surgical removal of part or
all of a limb. Amputation is necessary if
peripheral vascular disease as a result of
atherosclerosis or diabetes mellitus has
impaired the blood supply to a limb. If
blood supply cannot be restored, ampu-
tation is carried out to prevent the
28
AMYLOIDOSIS
development of gangrene. Amputation
may also be needed if a limb has been
irreparably damaged in an accident.
For some time after amputation, there
may be an unpleasant sensation that the
limb is still present, a phenomenon
known as “phantom limb”. A prosthesis
(see limb, artificial) is usually fitted
when the stump has healed.
amputation, congenital The separa-
tion of a body part (usually a limb,
finger, or toe) from the rest of the body,
as a result of the part’s blood supply
being blocked by a band of amnion
(fetal membrane) in the uterus. The
affected part may be completely separ-
ated or show the marks of the “amniotic
band” after birth. (See also limb defects.)
amputation, traumatic Loss of a fin-
ger, toe, or limb through injury. (See
also microsurgery.)
amylase An enzyme found in saliva and
pancreatic secretions (see pancreas). It
helps to digest dietary starch, breaking
it down into smaller components such
as the sugars glucose and maltose.
amyl nitrite A nitrate drug formerly pre-
scribed to relieve angina. Because amyl
nitrite frequently causes adverse effects,
it has been superseded by other drugs. It
is sometimes abused for its effect of
intensifying pleasure during orgasm.
amyloidosis An uncommon disease in
which a substance called amyloid, com-
posed of fibrous protein, accumulates
in tissues and organs, including the
liver, kidneys, tongue, spleen, and heart.
Amyloidosis may occur for no known
reason, in which case it is called primary;
more commonly, it is a complication of
some other disease, and in such cases
it is called secondary. Conditions that
may lead to amyloidosis include multi-
ple myeloma (a cancer of bone marrow),
rheumatoid arthritis, tuberculosis, and
some other longstanding infections,
such as chronic osteomyelitis.
The symptoms of amyloidosis vary,
depending on the organs affected and
the duration of the condition. Deposits
of amyloid in the kidneys may cause
kidney failure, which may be fatal.
There is no treatment, but secondary
amyloidosis can be halted if the under-
lying disorder is treated.