| Cartilage |
| A body tissue characterized by its low blood supply, ability to maintain shape & small number of cells dispersed in a matrix of material produced by those cells. There are different types of cartilage that have different properties, such as flexibility. Cartilage forms the central layer of the ear, the tip of the nose & the common wall between the nasal airways. This type allows the ear and nose to maintain their shape and yet remain flexible. A nonflexible cartilage covers the ends of bones on joint surfaces and allows smooth non-painful range of motion. |
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| Cataract surgery |
| Removal of the clouded (cataractous)lens in its entirety by surgery, and replacement of the lens with an intraocular lens (IOL) made of plastic. The typical cataract operation takes about an hour, requires local anesthesia only, and usually does not need hospitalization. See intraocular lens. |
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| Cleft lip |
| A birth defect involving a separation in the upper lip. It causes disfigurement and makes feeding more difficult. Repair is performed to close the opening and create a normal lip and nose. |
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| Cleft palate |
| A birth defect in which a lack of tissue development results in an opening in the roof of the mouth. The mouth and nasal cavity, normally separated by the palate, are open. Surgery to close the opening allows proper speech development, helps correct hearing problems, and allows for more normal dental growth and appearance. |
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| Climax |
| Orgasm |
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| Clitoridectomy |
| The surgical removal of the clitoris and all or part of the labia. Also known as female circumcision. |
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| Clitoris |
| A small, highly sensitive sexual organ in the female, located above and in front of the vaginal entrance. |
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| Comedones |
| Enlarged hair follicles filled with sebum (oil), dead cells and bacteria. If they are open to the skin surface, they are known as blackheads or open comedones. If they are closed to the skin surface, they are known as whiteheads or closed comedones. |
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| Complication (surgical) |
| Any problem that can arise during or after surgery. Complications can be transient (short-lived) or permanent. They can be minor or serious. They can be obvious or hidden. Doctors speak of complications in terms of the risk of having that complication. Risk is usually given as a percentage of chance of a given problem happening within a given time frame |
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| Conjunctiva |
| A delicate mucous membrane that lines the eyelids and covers the white surface of the eye. The conjunctiva joins the eyeball at the edge of the cornea, called the limbus. |
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| Contracture |
| The effect of scar tissue contracting upon itself. After a burn, a burn scar contracture may occur. After placement of breast implants, the capsule can contract and squeeze the implant into a tight, hard, round mass, hence the name capsular contracture. |
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| Corpus spongiosum |
| A column of erectile tissue that runs the length of the penis and encloses the urethra. |
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| Cosmetic contouring |
| Reshaping the natural teeth to make them straighter or more youthful in appearance |
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| Cosmetic plastic surgery |
| One type of plastic surgery performed to reshape otherwise normal structures of the body, primarily to improve the patient's appearance and self-esteem. |
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| Cover Test |
| The test that is used to determine whether a patient has strabismus, or abnormal alignment. The test measures the movement of each eye independently to visual stimuli to detect abnormal reactions, indicating the eyes will not work well together. See strabismus. |
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| Craniofacial surgery |
| A complex and delicate procedure or series of procedures that involve rebuilding the facial bones and tissues, or replacing tissue, so that a normal anatomical appearance is achieved. |
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| Cross-Dressing |
| Refers to the adoption, fully or partially, of the clothes normally identified as belonging to the opposite sex. People may cross-dress for a variety of reasons of which transvestism, transsexualism and fetishism are the commonest. Some people may also cross-dress as part of a disguise or for entertainment. Others may cross-dress as part of masochistic activities. |
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| Cryosurgery |
| A surgical procedure that uses freezing temperature (from liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide) to destroy tissue. Cryosurgery is used on the skin to remove warts, actinic keratoses, seborrheic keratosis(age Spots), tumors or acne lesions for example. |
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| Curettage |
| A procedure whereby tissue is removed by scraping. |
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| Deformity |
| Alteration in the natural form of a part of organ. Distortion of any body part or general disfigurement of the body. A deformity may be acquired such as the result of injury, disease, or disorder or it may be congenital (congenital: present at birth). |
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