Opitz G/BBB Family Connection
(Canada)

43 Swallow Street, Kitimat, British Columbia V8C 1K6

Phone: 250-632-7026  Fax:250-639-9062 E-Mail

C

Library

Cecum: the beginning of the large intestine, which is connected to the appendix at its lower end

Central line: A catheter (a tube) that is passed through a vein to end up in the thoracic (chest) portion of the vena cava (the large vein returning blood to the heart) or in the right atrium of the heart.

Central lines have a diversity of uses. They allow concentrated solutions to be infused with less risk of complications. They permit monitoring of the central venous pressure, the pulmonary artery pressure, and the pulmonary capillary wedge pressures. They can be used for the estimation of  cardiac output and vascular resistance. The near end of the catheter may also be connected to a chamber for injections given over periods of months.

A central line is also called a central venous line or catheter.

Cerebellum: a region of the brain located at the back; responsible for coordination of movement and maintaining balance

Cerebral: Of or pertaining to the brain or skull cavity.

Cerebrospinal fluid:  a clear, watery fluid circulating in and around the brain and spinal column, which contains glucose, proteins, and salts for nutrition

Cerebrum: the largest part of the brain and the site of most of its activity, including sensory and motor functions

Chromosome analysis:  examination of a person’s chromosomes either to determine if that person has an abnormality or to investigate one

Chronic:  describes a disorder that continues for a long period of time

Cleft lip: a birth defect in which the upper lip is split vertically, extending into one or both nostrils

Cleft palate:  a birth defect in which the roof of the mouth (the palate) is split, extending from behind the teeth to the nasal cavity; often occurs with other birth defects such as cleft lip and partial deafness. The opening in the palate permits communication between the nasal passages and the mouth. Surgery is needed to close the palate.  About 1 baby in 2,000 is born with cleft palate versus 1 baby in 1,000 with cleft lip. If normal parents have an otherwise normal child with a cleft lip and palate, there is an increased risk of 4-5% for each of their other children to be affected. If an otherwise normal child has cleft palate only, the risk for the next child to have it, too, is 2-6%.

Clotting factor:  a substance in the blood that is needed for blood to harden and stop a wound from bleeding

Colon:  the main part of the large intestine, between the cecum and the rectum

Congenital:  present or existing at the time of birth

Congestive heart failure: inability of the heart to efficiently pump blood through the body, causing buildup of blood in the veins and of other body fluids in tissue

Constipation: difficult or infrequent bowel movements of hard, dry feces

Cornea:  the clear, dome-shaped front portion of the eye’s outer covering

Corpus callosum, agenesis of the: A congenital abnormality (a birth defect) in which there is partial or complete absence (agenesis) of the corpus callosum, the area of the brain which connects the two cerebral hemispheres (the two halves of the brain).

Agenesis of the corpus callosum can occur as a severe syndrome in infancy or childhood, as a milder condition in young adults, or as an asymptomatic incidental finding.

If there are symptoms, the first ones are usually seizures followed by feeding problems and delays in holding the head erect, sitting, standing, and walking. The seizures may constitute a very common disorder called infantile spasms. There may also be retardation in mental and physical development and impairment of hand-eye coordination and visual and auditory memory.

Cryptorchidism: A condition in which one or both testicles fail to move from the abdomen, where they develop before birth, into the scrotum; also called undescended testicles. Boys who have had cryptorchidism that was not corrected in early childhood are at increased risk for developing cancer of the testicles.  

Croup:  a usually mild and temporary condition common in children under the age of 4 in which the walls of the airways become inflamed and narrow, resulting in wheezing and coughing

CT scanning: a procedure that uses X-rays and computers to create cross-sectional images of the body to diagnose and monitor disease

Cyanosis:  a bluish discoloration of the skin, caused by low levels of oxygen in the blood

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