abscess

ab·scess (ab′ses′)

noun

a swollen, inflamed area in body tissues, in which pus gathers

Etymology: L abscessus < abscedere, to go from < ab(s)-, from + cedere, to go: from the notion that humors go from the body into the swelling

intransitive verb

to form an abscess

ab′·scessed′ adjective

Converse of object

drain: You should seek advice from a dentist urgently to get the abscess drained.
treat: Your own Doctor may have tried to treat the abscess with antibiotics.
cause: Francois, the Ulysses resident dentist, repaired my tooth, saying the epoxy glue applied in Cape Town would have caused an abscess.
remove: He was admitted to Leeds general infirmary where he underwent surgery to remove a cerebral abscess.
develop: He developed an abscess in the ear which steadily worsened.

Adjective modifier

amoebic: Serological test methods for the detection of anti-amoebic antibodies remain extremely useful for the diagnosis of amoebic liver abscess.
pyogenic: Amebic liver abscess: a study of 11 cases compared with a series of 38 patients with pyogenic liver abscess.
amebic: Amebic liver abscess: a study of 11 cases compared with a series of 38 patients with pyogenic liver abscess.
pilonidal: Has the operation to remove a pilonidal abscess changed much in the last 32 years?
intra-abdominal: Intra-abdominal abscesses are an infrequent complication, particularly seen in those with perforated appendicitis.
epidural: Meningitis has been described, as has epidural abscess.

Modifies a noun

cavity: Both had perforated at the site forming an abscess cavity.
drainage: However, abscess drainage or spinal fusion for progressive deformity may be necessary.
formation: Infection without abscess formation producing such a picture is a rarity.

Noun used with modifier

liver: Amebic liver abscess: a study of 11 cases compared with a series of 38 patients with pyogenic liver abscess.
brain: People who survive a brain abscess may suffer damage to the brain.
tooth: A diabetic patient with an open wound in his neck as a result of a surgically drained tooth abscess.
lung: They may also come with a gurgling lump in the left side of the neck and rarely with a lung abscess.
skin: A skin abscess is usually self-healing in a healthy adult.
foot: Here, one of our elephants suffers from a foot abscess, which has been treated consistently for 8 weeks.

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