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  • Cardio Terms
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• Cardio Terms

- M -

• MAP

Mean arterial pressure.



• MB

Cardiac muscle.



• Mec

Meconium.



• Media

Middle,(see tunica media).



• Mediastinoscopy

An operation in which the surgeon uses an instrument known as a mediastinoscope to examine a portion of the chest cavity known as the 'mediastinum'. A mediastinoscope is a metal tube that has a lighting system that allows the surgeon to see down the scope into the mediastinum. The mediastinum is subdivided into different sections. The mediastinoscopy procedure is generally done to look into the posterior mediastinum. A mediastinoscopy requires general anesthesia and is done through a small (approx. 1 inch) incision just above the notch in the breast bone. A mediastinoscopy is used to obtain biopsies (pieces) of lymph nodes located in the mediastinum to see if a lung cancer has spread. If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, most lung cancers would be considered non-operable.



• Mediastinum

The mediastinum is the 'middle' section of the chest cavity. The chest cavity contains the left and right lungs, which lie on either side of the heart. The heart is contained in the portion of the chest known as the mediastinum. The mediastinum is bordered by the thoracic inlet (where the organs of the neck enter the chest) on top, by the diaphragm on the bottom, the sternum (breastbone) in front, and the vertebral column (backbone) to the rear. The mediastinum is artificially divided into the anterior, middle and posterior sections. The mediastinum contains all of the chest organs except the lungs. Organs located in the mediastinum include the heart, the aorta, the thymus gland, the chest portion of the trachea, the esophagus, lymph nodes and important nerves.



• Metabolic

Refers to the process of the chemical reactions at the tissue level.



• Metabolic acidosis

Abnormal physiological process characterized by the primary gain of strong acid or primary loss of bicarbonate from the extracellular fluid. Reflected by a low [hco3-] and low ph. (hco3- less than 22 meq/l) treat by increasing perfusion of tissues and give nahco3.



• Metabolic alkalosis

Mbnormal physiological process characterized by primary gain of strong base or loss of strong acid. Reflected by a high [hco3-] and high ph. (hco3- greater than 26 meq/l) normally no need to treat.



• Metabolism

The sum of the processes by which a substance is handled in the body.



• MI

1. Mitral insufficiency; back flow or regurgitation of flow through the mitral valve during ventricular systole.



• MICU

Medical intensive care unit.



• Milliequivalent

One thousandths of an equivalent: an equivalent is the amount of a substance (mg or mm) that can enter into a reaction with one mole of hydrogen ions, or replace one mole of h+ in the reaction (gram molecular weight/valence).



• Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery

A term used to imply surgery done with small incisions or with endoscopic procedures. In heart surgery, minimally invasive surgery may apply to heart operations done without the use of the heart-lung machine, surgery done through small incisions, or robotically assisted operations.



• Mitral

Referring to the bicuspid valve separating the left atrium and ventricle to prevent back flow into the atrium during ventricular systole.



• Mitral regurgitation

Abnormal systolic back flow of blood from the left ventricle into the left atrium, resulting from imperfect closure of the mitral valve.



• Mitral stenosis

Mitral valvular stenosis;narrowing of the normal area of the mitral valve causing a pressure drop across the valve during left ventricular filling.



• Mitral Valve

One of the four (4) valves located in the heart. The mitral valve is made up of two leaflets, chordae tendonae and papillary muscles. The mitral valve is located in the left atrium and left ventricle. All of the valves in the heart are one-way valves, which means that when they are functioning properly, they allow blood to flow in only one direction. The mitral valve allows newly oxygenated blood from the lungs to flow from the left atrium, which receives the blood from the lungs, into the left ventricle. As the left ventricle begins to pump this blood back out to the body, the mitral valve closes, thereby keeping the blood in the left ventricle from flowing back to the lungs. Proper function of the mitral valve is vital to normal, efficient heart function.



• Modified ultrafiltration

Hemoconcentration of patients blood, post bypass prior to decannulation, using the extracorporeal circuit for blood access.



• Mole

The gram molecular weight of any substance, which always contains 6.023 x 1023 molecules of that substance. The number of molecules of a substance in one gram molecular weight of the substance. One mole of hydrogen ions, or replace the h+ in the reaction (gram molecular weight/valence).



• MUGA

Multiple gated acquisition test; a radionuclide test of myocardial performance.



• Multivessel disease

Disease in two or more of the coronary arteries.



• MVR

Mitral valve repair, or replacement; open heart surgery to repair or replace a diseased mitral valve with a prosthesis or artificial heart valve.



• Myocardial infarction (ML)

Damage to the heart muscle caused by occlusion of one or more of the coronary arteries.



• Myocardial ischemia

Condition in which oxygen delivery to and waste removal from the myocardium falls below normal levels with oxygen demand exceeding supply.



• Myocarditis

An inflammation of the heart muscle. Causes of 'myocarditis' include virus infections, bacterial infections, reactions to some chemotherapy agents, alcohol poisoning from chronic alcohol abuse, and some auto-immune disorders.



• Myocardium

The muscular wall of the heart located between the inner endocardial layer and the outer epicardial layer.