Glossary of Terms

Pain

• Unpleasant sensory or emotional experience primarily associated with tissue damage, or described in terms of tissue damage or both.

Partial knee replacement

• Also called uni knee replacement; surgical procedure to remove and replace only the arthritic or damaged compartment of the knee and replace it with an artificial knee compartment, called a prosthesis; partial knee replacement should be considered only after other non-surgical treatment options have failed to provide adequate relief from pain or disability.

Patella

• Kneecap.

Patella tendon

• Tendon of the knee that secures the patella (kneecap) over the knee; attaches to the patella and fibula.

Patellofemoral pain

• Caused by abnormalities in how the patella (kneecap) slides over the lower end of the femur (thighbone); when this path is off the underside of the patella grates along the femur causing pain and inflammation.

Patient controlled analgesia (PCA) device

• A computerized delivery system for medication (often morphine) that is used to manage post-operative pain; when programmed, the PCA device delivers a controlled amount of medication into your IV whenever you push the button.

PCL tear

• Injury to the posterior cruciate ligament; often occurs when there is a bad fall on a bent knee.

Pelvis

• Comprised of three separate bones called the ilium, ischium and pubis that fuse together to form the pelvis; protects the digestive and reproductive organs in the lower part of the body.

Perthes disease

• A degenerative disease of the hip that causes loss of bone mass. May cause hip joint collapse or cause deformity of the hip joint.

Physical therapist

• A person who has been certified by a state or accreditation body to develop and implement physical therapy programs.

Physical therapy

• A division of rehabilitation health that uses specially designed exercises and equipment to help patients regain or improve their physical abilities; physical therapists work with many patients who are in this type of a rehabilitative health program.

Pneumatic device

• A device that is often placed on the feet after hip replacement or knee replacement surgery that generates and utilizes compressed air to increase blood circulation.

Pneumonia

• Inflammation of one or both lungs frequently caused by infection with bacteria, viruses or organisms; symptoms may include fever, chills, cough, chest pain and shortness of breath.

Podiatrist

• A physician who specializes in the evaluation and treatment of diseases of the foot.

Posterior cruciate ligament

• Also known as PCL; a knee ligament that originates at the bottom of the femur (thighbone) and crosses over the ACL; responsible for stabilizing the knee.

Post-traumatic arthritis

• A form of arthritis that may develop after an injury to a joint in which the bone and cartilage did not heal properly.

Predisposition

• Tendency to develop a certain disease.

Proctoscopy

• An outpatient procedure that allows a physician to view the inside of the rectum and colon to detect abnormalities such as growths, bleeding, and other conditions.

Pulmonary embolism

• A blood clot that may become dislodged from the veins of the leg and travel to the lung where it can cause respiratory distress or respiratory failure.