Avulsion
Encyclopedia
Avulsion in general refers to a tearing away. Specifically, it can refer to:
- A type of amputationAmputationAmputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma, prolonged constriction, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on individuals as a preventative surgery for...
where the extremity is pulled off rather than cut off - Avulsion fractureAvulsion fractureAn avulsion fracture is a bone fracture which occurs when a fragment of bone tears away from the main mass of bone as a result of physical trauma. This can occur at the ligament due to the application forces external to the body or at the tendon due to a muscular contraction that is stronger than...
- Avulsion injuryAvulsion injuryIn medicine, an avulsion is an injury in which a body structure is forcibly detached. It most commonly refers to a surface trauma where all layers of the skin have been torn away, exposing the underlying structures...
, the removal of all the layers of skin from abrasion - In the law (also real estate, geology), "avulsion (legal term)Avulsion (legal term)In real property law, avulsion refers to a sudden loss or addition to land, which results from the action of water. It differs from accretion, which describes a gradual loss or addition to land resulting from the action of water.-Avulsion and riparian owners:...
" refers to the sudden loss of land by the action of water - Avulsion (river)Avulsion (river)In sedimentary geology and fluvial geomorphology, avulsion is the rapid abandonment of a river channel and the formation of a new river channel. Avulsions occur as a result of channel slopes that are much lower than the slope that the river could travel if it took a new course.-Deltaic and...
, abandonment of an old river channel and the creation of a new one