H is for...

HABIT
An act, behavioral response, practice, or custom estbalished in one's repertoire by frequent repetition of the same act.

HALIFAX
Clamp across lamina of C-1 and C-2.

HARRINGTON ROD
An instrumentation and fusion using a straight, stiff rod for distraction or compression; associated with a posterior spinal fusion in the thoracic or thoracolumbar spine for scoliosis or trauma.

HEADACHE
Pain in various parts of the head, not confined to the area of distribution of any nerve.

HEAT
A high temperature, the sensation produced by proximity to fire or an incandescent object, as opposed to cold.

HEMANGIOMA
A benign tumor consisting of a mass of blood vessels.

HEMATOMYELIA
Effusion of blood (hemorrhage) into the substance of the spinal cord.

HEMATORRHACHIS
Spinal apoplexy; hemorrhage into vertebral canal.

HEMISPHERECTOMY
Excision of one cerebral hemisphere undertaken for malignant tumors, intractable epilepsy usually associate with infantile hemiplegia due to birth injury and other cerebral conditions.

HEMATOMA
A blood clot.

HEMIANOPIA
Loss of vision of one-half of the visual field.

HEMIATROPHY
Atrophy of half of an organ or half of the body.

HEMILAMINECTOMY
The excision of only one side of the lamina (right or left) relative to othe spinous process.

HEMIPLEGIA
Paralysis of one side of the body.

HEMORRHAGE
Bleeding due to the escape of blood from a blood vessel.

HEREDITARY
Transmissable from parent to offspring by information encoded in the parental germ cell.

HEREDITY
The transmission of characters from parent to offspring by information encoded in the parental germ cells. Genealogy.

HERNIATED INTERVERTBRAL DISC(HID)
Extrusion of part of the nucleus pulposus material through a defect in the annulus fibrosus.

HERNIATED NUCLEUS PULPOSUS (HNP)
Extrusion of the central portion of an intervertebral disc through the outer cartilaginous ring. The material can compress the spinal cord or nerves in or exiting the spinal canal.

HERNIATION
Formation of a protrusion.

HETEROTOPIC BONE FORMATION
The occurrence of bone growth in an abnormal location.

HIBBS SPINAL FUSION
A lumbar spinal fusion that includes fusing the spinous process, lamina, and facet for stabilization.

HODGSON
Anterior approach to C-1 and C-2 area for drainage of tuberculosis abcess.

HOOK
For spinal applications, a metallic medical device used to connect spinal structures to a rod.

HORMONE
A chemical substance formed in one gland or part of the body and carried by the blood to another organ which it stimulates to functional activity.

HUMERUS
The bone of the arm, articulating with the scapula above and the radius and ulna below.

HYDROCEPHALUS
A condition, often congenital, marked by abnormal and excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the cerebral ventricles. This dilates the ventricles and in infants and young children causes the head to enlarge.

HYDROMYELIA
Expansion of the spinal cord due to increased size of the central canal of the cord which is filled with CSF.

HYDROXYAPATITE (HA)
The lattice-like structure of bone composed of calcium and phosphorous crystals which deposits on collagen to provide the rigid structure of bone.

HYOID BONE
Small, vertically oriented bones lateral to trachea, located at the level of C-3.

HYPER
Excessive, above normal.

HYPERACUSIS
Abnormal acuteness of hearing or auditory sensation.

HYPERESTHESIA
Excessive sensibility to touch, pain or other stimuli.

HYPEREXTENSION
Extension of a limb or part beyond the normal limit.

HYPERFLEXION
Flexion of a limb or part beyond the normal limit.

HYPERLORDOSIS
Increase in the normal anterior concavity of the cervical or lumbar spine.

HYPERTENSION
High blood pressure.

HYPOPHYSECTOMY
Excision of the hypophysis cerebri.

HYPOPHYSIS CEREBRI
A gland of internal secretion lying on the upper surface of the sphenoid (wedge shaped) bone.

HYPOTHALAMUS
A collection of specialized nerve cells at the base of the brain which controls the anterior and posterior pituitary secretions, and is involved in other basic regulatory functions such as temperature control and attention.