Patent
Open, unobstructed, intact.
PDA (Posterior Descending Artery)
Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA)
Commonly referred to as “balloon angioplasty”. This procedure is a less
invasive interventional coronary procedure in which a balloon is used to
displace arterial blockages.
Perfusion
1.The act of pouring over or through, especially the passage of fluid
through the vessels of the heart. The fluid that is passed is called the
perfusate. 2. Flowing over or through. 3. Blood flow through the organs and
tissues of the body.
Perfusion Balloon Angioplasty
A variation of PTCA in which a catheter is inserted in the artery that
permits blood flow during balloon inflation.
Perfusionist
A specialist trained to operate the heart-lung machine
Pericardial
Located intermedial to the pleural cavities which contain the heart.
Pericardium
The tough non-elastic membrane surrounding the heart that attaches to
the great vessels and other anatomical structures in the mediastinum.
Peripheral
Occurring away from the center.
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Disease of the arteries and veins of the extremities (e.g.,
atherosclerosis), which interefere with adequate blood flow to or from the
extremities.
Plasma
The cellular, colorless liquid portion of the blood.
Pleural
Relating to lungs.
Post-MI angina
Angina occurring from 1 to 60 days after an acute MI.
Posterior
Back of the body or towards the back of the body.
Preload
The degree of myocardial stretch before contraction at the end of
diastole. The ventricular end-diastolic pressure and volume reflect this
parameter.
Pressure
Stress or force exerted on a body, as by tension, weight, or pulling.
Protocol (CPB)
A prescribed (surgeon-specific) procedure for initiating, maintaining,
and discontinuing CPB. While maintaing certain fundamental clinical
parameters, protocols vary from surgeon to surgeon, hospital to hospital.
Proximal
1. Nearest the trunk or the point of origin, said of part of a limb, of
an artery or a nerve, etc., so situated. 2. Nearest to head or source,
nearer to the attachment of a limb to the trunk.
Pump
The blood propulsion device included in the extracorporeal circuit to
replace the left ventricular function.
^ back to top