#arthro

• Arthroplasty — A reconstructive surgical intervention performed to restore the mobility and function of a damaged joint, as well as to eliminate the associated pain. This procedure can involve either reshaping the diseased bone surfaces or replacing the worn-out joint elements partially or totally with biocompatible artificial components called prostheses.
• Arthroplasia — The formation, proliferation, or excessive development of new tissue, cells, or atypical fibrous structures inside the capsule of a movable joint. This localized hyperplastic or dysplastic process disrupts the normal composition of the synovial membrane and cartilage, often associated with faulty tissue remodeling reactions following chronic destructive inflammation or repetitive aberrant mechanical stimuli.
• Arthropneumography — A special method of joint radiological examination utilizing negative contrast, performed by the controlled injection of air, oxygen, or carbon dioxide directly into the joint cavity. This classic technical procedure opacifies and distends the synovial capsule, allowing the visualization of internal soft contours, ligaments, and cartilage on the radiographic film due to the density difference between the introduced gas and surrounding bone structures.
• Arthropod — An invertebrate animal characterized by the presence of an articulated chitinous exoskeleton and legs or appendages made of movable segments. As an adjective, the term describes an organism or anatomical structure specific to this group of creatures, which includes insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and myriapods, representing the most numerous and diverse phylum in the animal kingdom.
• Arthropods — The scientific and taxonomic designation assigned to the largest phylum of invertebrate animals (Arthropoda), consisting of species with a segmented body, bilateral symmetry, and jointed appendages. Members of this group, which inhabit absolutely all living environments on the planet, periodically undergo the molting process to allow body growth restricted by the external crust.
• Arthroereisis — A minimally invasive orthopedic surgical intervention consisting of introducing an implant or an artificial bone block inside or near a joint, aiming to selectively limit an abnormal or exaggerated movement without completely suppressing global mobility. This procedure is frequently used in treating loose flatfoot in children, acting as a mechanical stop that guides the correct alignment of tarsal bones during growth.
• Arthroscope — A rigid or flexible endoscopic instrument equipped with a fiber-optic system and a miniature video camera, introduced through a microscopic incision directly into a joint cavity. This high-tech medical device allows the visualization of all internal anatomical structures on an external monitor at maximum resolution, serving both for diagnostic purposes and as a visual guide during minimally invasive surgeries.
• Arthroscopy — A modern and minimally invasive surgical procedure used for the direct visual examination, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions within a joint, performed by inserting an arthroscope through millimeter-sized incisions. This advanced technique considerably reduces trauma to periarticular soft tissues, limits bleeding risks, and significantly shortens the patient's postoperative functional recovery period compared to classic open surgeries.
• Arthrosyphilis — A specific joint localization of the Treponema pallidum infection, characterized by inflammatory, degenerative, or destructive manifestations within bone and synovial structures, occurring as a complication in the secondary or tertiary stages of syphilis. This rare infectious pathology can take the form of acute arthritis, chronic bilateral hydrarthrosis (Clutton's joints in congenital forms), or severe destructive neurological degradation (Charcot joint in tabes dorsalis).
• Arthrosynovitis — An acute or chronic inflammatory process that simultaneously affects a joint and the synovial membrane lining its interior. This condition manifests through local swelling, increased pain during mobilization, elevated skin temperature, and excessive accumulation of serous or serofibrinous fluid within the joint cavity, being triggered by repetitive trauma, intense mechanical stress, or systemic rheumatic diseases.
• Arthrospore — A type of asexual spore formed through the direct fragmentation and segmentation of the vegetative hyphae of certain fungal species. These resistance cells, clinically termed arthroconidia, separate through the disarticulation of the hyphal cell wall, becoming independent structures capable of propagating fungal infections or surviving in unfavorable external environments.
• Arthrostomy — A surgical intervention consisting of creating a temporary or permanent opening into the capsule of a movable joint, aimed at allowing continuous drainage of pathological secretions or the direct introduction of therapeutic solutions. This procedure is typically applied in severe cases of septic arthritis or pyarthrosis, where pus accumulation requires constant evacuation to prevent cartilage destruction.
• Arthrotomy — A surgical intervention consisting of the sectioning or incising of a joint capsule to allow direct access into its cavity. This classic open procedure is performed for exploratory purposes, for the extraction of loose bodies (arthrophytes), the repair of internal ligamentous structures, or as a preliminary stage in performing an arthroplasty or arthrodesis.
• Arthrosis — A chronic degenerative joint disease characterized by the progressive degradation and gradual destruction of the protective cartilage covering bone ends, accompanied by modifications of the subchondral bone and the formation of marginal bone growths called osteophytes. This pathology, closely linked to natural aging, repeated trauma, or excessive mechanical stress, causes persistent pain, nocturnal joint stiffness, and severe reduction of functional mobility.
• Arthrosic — Pertaining to arthrosis, relating to or characteristic of this degenerative condition; affected by arthrosis. As a noun, the term designates a person suffering from this disease, describing specific anatomical modifications (such as bone deformities) or clinical manifestations (such as mechanical-type pain) encountered during the progression of cartilage degradation.
• Arthrosic — The feminine singular form of the adjective artrozic; pertaining to arthrosis, relating to this degenerative joint disease, or presenting the specific traits of chronic cartilage degradation. The term directly describes an altered anatomical structure (such as a thickened synovial capsule), a mechanical type of pain, or a clinical manifestation typical of patients suffering from osteoarticular wear.