• 0161 696 6165
  • Request a callback
Stephensons Solicitors LLP Banner Image

Medical terms glossary - S

This medical term glossary provides explanations in plain English of a number of technical terms you may encounter in the process of pursuing a clinical negligence claim.

Sacral - Of or relating to the sacrum.

Sacrodynia - Pain in sacrum.

Sacro-iliac joint - The joint connecting the ilium and the sacrum.

Sacrum - Bone at the base of the spine above the coccyx composed of five fused vertebrae.

Scaphoid - A wrist bone.

Sciatica - Pain and abnormal sensation in sciatic nerve down the back of the leg.

Sclerosis - Higher density bone.

Scoliosis - Spine deformed laterally.

Seizure - A fit.

Self-tapping screw - Screw capable of cutting it’s own thread.

Sequestrum - Dead bone caused by osteomyelitis.

Sesamoid - Bones within tendons, e.g. the kneecap.

Shin splints - Fracture of the tibia caused by physical stress.

Shortening - Reduction in length of a bone.

Sign - The results of a doctors visual inspection.

Silicosis - Lung disease caused by inhalation of silicon dust.

Simple fracture - Fracture without breach of skin.

Sinus - Air-filled cavities in the skull.

Slough - Dead tissue being shed from the body.

Spastic - Excessive muscle spasm.

Spinal cord - Nerve bundle within the vertebral canal.

Splint - Support to prevent movement of a joint or fracture.

Spondylitis - Inflammation of the spine.

Spondylo- - Of or relating to the vertebrae.

Spondylolisthesis - Vertebrae slipping on one another.

Spondylolysis - Deformed vertebrae, usually due to an injury.

Spondylosis - Osteoarthritis of the spine.

Sprain - Partial tearing of a ligament.

Stenosis - Abnormal narrowing of passages such as arteries.

Sternum - Breast bone.

Stockholm workshop scale - A scale for the assessment of Raynaud's phenomenon and hand-arm vibration syndrome.

Sub-dural haematoma - A pooling of blood between the outer membrane of the brain and the inner lining of the skull.

Subluxation - Partial dislocation of a joint.

Sudek's atrophy - A form of reflex sympathetic dystrophy involving the wasting of muscle and osteoporosis (thinning of bones).

Sulci - Folds on the surface of the brain.

Supination - Rotation of forearm.

Supra-condylar fracture - A fractured end of the humerus (upper arm bone) or femur (thigh bone).

Suture - Stitch used during surgery.

Symphysis - A joint with no cavity, minimising movement.

Symphysis pubis - The join between the two halves of the pelvis.

Symptom - Sensory perception of the patient.

Syndesmosis - A joint where the opposing surfaces are connected by a ligament

Syndrome - A collection of symptoms and signs which indicates a conclusion.

Synovial effusion - Abnormally large amount of fluid generated in joint cavity.

Synovitis - Inflammation of the joint lining.

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M 

N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

If you would like assistance in relation to a possible clinical negligence claim speak to our experts for free initial guidance on your options on 01616 966 229 or complete our online enquiry form.

loading staff

What is Acanthamoeba Keratitis?

Acanthamoeba Keratitis (AK) is a rare parasitic eye infection from a certain type of amoeba which is a single-celled organism. It starts by affecting the outermost layer of the cornea and as the infection extends deeper, it will cause loss of sight. ...

Read more

What is ovarian cancer?

Ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that develops in your ovaries. It is the sixth most common cancer in women in the UK, with around 7,500 new cases of ovarian cancer each year (the equivalent of 21 new cases every day).   Ovarian cancer presents...

Read more

Clin neg staff reorder

  • Louise Griffiths
  • Judith Thomas-Whittingham
  • Tom Mooney
  • Laura Sheehan
  • Claire Stockley
  • Jamie Cruickshanks
  • ​Carla Duprey
  • Sarah Masters
  • Laura Owen
  • Ron Leong
  • Matthew Wan
  • Pam Thompson