N
naevus (mole) a circumscribed lesion of the skin arising from pigment-producing naevus cells or due to a developmental abnormality of blood vessels.
nanogram (ng) one thousandth part of a microgram. 10−9 of a gram.
nanometre (nm) one thousandth part of a micrometre. 10−9 of a metre.
nape (nucha) back of the neck.
narcotic a drug causing abnormally deep sleep.
nares (choanae) the nostrils. anterior nares the pair of openings from the exterior into the nasal cavities. posterior nares the pair of openings from the nasal cavities into the nasopharynx.
nasal associated with the nose.
nasal cavity that in the nose, separated into right and left halves by the nasal septum.
nasal conchae irregular bones which lie on the lateral walls of the nasal cavity.
nasal speculum used for examination of the nose and for treatments, such as nasal cautery and packing to stop bleeding.
nasal tube a catheter inserted into the nasal passages to permit the administration of oxygen therapy.
nasoduodenal associated with the nose and duodenum, as passing a nasoduodenal tube via this route, for feeding. See also enteral.
nasogastric (NG) associated with the nose and stomach, as passing a nasogastric tube via this route, usually for aspiration, or feeding.
nasojejunal associated with the nose and jejunum, usually referring to a tube passed via the nose into the jejunum for feeding.
nasolacrimal associated with the nose and lacrimal apparatus.
naso-oesophageal associated with the nose and the oesophagus.
nasopharynx the portion of the pharynx above the soft palate.
National Framework for Assessing Performance a framework that includes six areas for the assessment of NHS performance: effective delivery of appropriate health care; efficiency; fair access; health improvement; health outcomes and the patient/carer experience. See also Performance Indicators.
National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) a Special Health Authority that generates and distributes clinical guidance based on evidence of clinical and cost effectiveness.
National Service Frameworks (NSFs) evidence-based frameworks for major care areas and particular groups of disease, e.g. diabetes, older people, that state what patients/clients can presume to receive from the NHS.
nausea a feeling of impending vomiting.
navicular boat-shaped, like a canoe, such as the bone in the foot.
nebulizer an apparatus for converting a liquid into a fine spray. It is used to deliver medicaments for application to the respiratory tract or the skin. A very common method of drug delivery used in the management of asthma.
neck a constricted section, the part of the body that connects the head with the trunk, the area below the head of a bone as in the neck of humerus, the neck of femur, the part of a tooth where the root merges with the crown. The constricted section of an organ as in the neck of uterus.
necrosis localized death of tissue.
necrotizing fasciitis rare infection caused by some strains of group A Streptococcus pyogenes. There is very severe inflammation of the muscle sheath and massive soft-tissue destruction. The mortality rate is high.
needle biopsy the removal of tissue from a lesion, for analysis by using a needle; the needle is rotated and the tissue remains in the lumen.
needlestick injury an injury caused when the skin is pierced by a hypodermic needle. Risk is greatest when the needle is contaminated with blood from a person infected with a blood-borne virus such as hepatitis B or C or HIV.
needs assessment estimating the need (quantifying) for services in a population. normative, or assessed, need is need defined by the expert or professional in any given situation; felt need, or want, perceived by the individual; expressed need or operationalized felt need; comparative need using the characteristics of a population receiving a service to define those with similar characteristics as in need. needs assessment uses broad, non-specific indicators of need obtained through repeated health surveys of the general population (e.g. General Household Survey, Health Survey for England) and more specific indicators based on surveys of particular groups (e.g. survey of disabled people, urinary incontinence). The weighted capitation formula for resource allocation uses the characteristics of populations using hospital services as indicators of need.
negative correlation in statistics, when information is linked and an increase in one item will result in a decrease in the other and an increase in one item will result in an decrease in the other.
negative number a number with a value of less than zero.
negatron a negative beta particle.
negligence a form of professional malpractice which includes the omission of acts that a prudent health professional would have done or the commission of acts that a prudent health professional would not do. It is a professional duty to avoid patient/client injury or suffering caused in this way. It can become the basis of litigation for damages. See also Bolam test, duty of care.
Nelaton’s line an imaginary line joining the anterior superior iliac spine to the ischial tuberosity. The great trochanter of the femur normally lies on or below this line.
neoadjuvant therapy preliminary cancer treatment such as chemotherapy or radiation that usually precedes another phase of treatment, for example, to reduce tumour size before surgery.
neonatal relating to the first 28 days of life.
neonatal herpes acquired during vaginal delivery from a mother actively shedding herpes simplex virus. It is a devastating illness with a 75% mortality rate and a high incidence of severe neurological pathology among survivors.
neonatal mortality the death rate of babies in the first month of life.
neonatal unit (NNU/NICU/SCBU) usually reserved for preterm and small-for-dates babies between 700 and 2000g in weight, mostly requiring the use of high technology which is available in these units.
neonate a newborn baby up to 4 weeks of age.
neoplasia literally, the formation of new tissue. The new or abnormal development of cells that may be benign or malignant.
neoplasm a new growth of cells forming a tumour that is either cancerous or non-cancerous.
nephrectomy surgical removal of a kidney.
nephritis non-specific term for inflammation within the kidney.
nephroblastoma the most common solid tumour of the kidney arising from immature or undifferentiated embryonic cells, usually presents as an abdominal mass. Also known as Wilms’ tumour.
nephrocalcinosis calcification within the kidney.
nephrolithiasis stone, disease affecting the kidney.
nephrolithotomy removal of a stone from the kidney by an incision through the kidney substance. percutaneous nephrolithotomy a minimally invasive technique where the kidney pelvis is punctured using X-ray control. A guide wire is inserted through which the stone is removed using a nephroscope (endoscope).
nephrology study of diseases of the kidney.
nephron the functional unit of the kidney, comprising a glomerulus and renal tubule. The tubule has a Bowman’s capsule, proximal and distal convoluted tubules, loop of Henle and a collecting tubule that drains urine from many nephrons to the renal pelvis.
nephronophthisis rare disorder involving the growth of many small cysts in the medulla of the kidney; often leads to renal failure.
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