A stenosis is an abnormal narrowing in a blood vessel or other tubular organ or structure. It is also sometimes called a "stricture" (as in urethral stricture). The arterial system The blood vessels are part of the circulatory system and function to transport blood throughout the body. ... In biology, an organ (Latin: organum, instrument, tool) is a group of tissues that perform a specific function or group of functions. ...

Stenoses of the vascular type are often associated with a noise (bruit) resulting from turbulent flow over the narrowed blood vessel. This bruit can be made audible by a stethoscope. Other, more reliable methods of diagnosing a stenosis are imaging methods including ultrasound, Magnetic Resonance Imaging/Magnetic Resonance Angiography, Computed Tomography/CT-Angiography which display anatomic imaging (i.e. the visible narrowing of a vessel) and/or flow phenomena (signs of the movement of the bodily fluid through the bodily structure). Vascular is an adjective for the word vessel and refers to tube-like structures. ... Bruit is the term for the unusal sound that blood makes when it rushes past an obstruction in an artery when the sound is observed with a stethoscope. ... Modern acoustic stethoscope The stethoscope (Greek στηθοσκόπιο, of στήθος, stéthos - chest and σκοπή, skopé - examination) is an acoustic medical device for auscultation, i. ... A baby in its mothers womb, viewed in a sonogram A baby, aged 29 weeks, in a 3D ultrasound Ultrasound is sound with a frequency greater than the upper limit of human hearing, this limit being approximately 20 kilohertz (20,000 hertz). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... ÁMagnetic Resonance Angiography is the imaging of blood vessels using Magnetic Resonance Imaging. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Angiography or arteriography is a medical imaging technique in which an X-ray picture is taken to visualize the inner opening of blood filled structures, including arteries, veins and the heart chambers. ...

Causes

• atherosclerosis causes stenotic lesions in arteries.
• birth defects
• ischaemia
• infection
• neoplasm
• inflammation
• iatrogenic, e.g. secondary to radiation therapy

Section of an artery An artery or arterial is also a class of highway. ... A congenital disorder is a medical condition or defect that is present at or before birth (for example, congenital heart disease). ... In medicine, ischemia (Greek ισχαιμία, isch- is restriction, hema or haema is blood) is a restriction in blood supply, generally due to factors in the blood vessels, with resultant damage or dysfunction of tissue. ... An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species. ... Neoplasia (literally: new growth) is sudden and abnormal growth in a tissue or organ. ... Inflammation is the first response of the immune system to infection or irritation and may be referred to as the innate cascade. ... An iatrogenic (pronounced , IPA) condition is a state of ill health or adverse effect caused by medical treatment, usually due to mistakes made in treatment. ... Clinac 2100 C100 accelerator Radiation therapy (or radiotherapy) is the medical use of ionizing radiation as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells (not to be confused with radiology, the use of radiation in medical imaging and diagnosis). ...

Types

The resulting syndrome depends on the structure affected. Examples of vascular stenotic lesions include:

• Intermittent claudication (peripheral artery stenosis)
• Angina (coronary artery stenosis)
• Carotid artery stenosis which predispose to (strokes and transient ischaemic episodes)
• Renal artery stenosis

Stenoses/strictures of other bodily structures/organs include: Intermittent claudication is a cramping sensation in the legs that is present during exercise or walking and occurs as a result of decreased oxygen supply. ... angina tonsillaris see tonsillitis. ... Carotid artery stenosis is obstruction of the carotid artery, usually by atheroma (a fatty lump, the result of atherosclerosis). ... A stroke, also known as cerebrovascular accident (CVA),[1] is an acute neurologic injury in which the blood supply to a part of the brain is interrupted. ... Transient ischemic attacks (TIA) are caused by temporary disturbance of blood supply to a restricted area of brain and cause recurrent and brief (less than 24 hours) neurologic dysfunctions. ... Renal artery stenosis is the narrowing of the renal artery. ...

• Pyloric stenosis (gastric outflow obstruction)
• Obstructive jaundice (biliary tract stenosis)
• Bowel obstruction
• Phimosis
• Hydrocephalus
• Stenosing tenosynovitis
• Spinal stenosis
• Subglottic stenosis (SGS)

Infantile Pyloric stenosis is an uncommon pediatric condition where there is a congenital narrowing of the pylorus (the opening at the lower end of the stomach). ... Jaundice, technically known as icterus, is yellowing of the skin, sclera (eyes) and mucous membranes caused by increased levels of bilirubin in the system. ... Bowel obstruction is a mechanical blockage of the intestines, preventing the normal transit of the products of digestion. ... Phimosis is a medical condition in which the foreskin of the penis of an uncircumcised male cannot be fully retracted. ... Stenosing tenosynovitis is the progressive restriction of the sheath surrounding a tendon, causing inflammation (tenosynovitis). ... Spinal stenosis is a medical condition where the spinal canal narrows and pinches the spinal cord and nerves, usually due to disc herniation or a tumour. ...

External Links

• Tracheal Stenosis Audio and Video