Clinical Diagnosis · Digestive System · Hard

Haemoperitoneum

Meaning: The presence of blood within the abdominal cavity, often after trauma or a ruptured organ.

In practice: Free fluid on the trauma scan represented haemoperitoneum from a splenic laceration.

Word parts

Many medical words are built from Greek and Latin parts like these, so learning a few helps you work out new terms.

Two questions on related clinical diagnosis words.

Which word means: An excess of base in the body fluids, raising the pH of the blood above normal.

Which word means: Backflow of stomach contents up into the gullet, often causing heartburn.

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