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Ectasia
Encyclopedia
Dilation or distention of a tubular structure. It occurs as part of a pathophysiological
process.
Vascular ectasias
Pathophysiology
Pathophysiology is the study of the changes of normal mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions, either caused by a disease, or resulting from an abnormal syndrome...
process.
Specific conditions
- Duct ectasia of breastDuct ectasia of breastDuct ectasia of the breast is a condition in which there is dilation of the lactiferous duct.Mammary duct ectasia can mimic breast cancer. It is a disorder of premenopausal age. Signs of duct ectasia can include nipple retraction, inversion, pain, and sometimes bloody discharge. Histologically,...
, a dilated milk duct. Duct ectasia syndrome is a synonym for nonpuerperal (unrelated to pregnancy and breastfeeding) mastitisMastitisMastitis is the inflammation of breast tissue. S. aureus is the most common etiological organism responsible, but S. epidermidis and streptococci are occasionally isolated as well.-Terminology:... - Dural ectasiaDural ectasiaDural ectasia is a widening or ballooning of the dural sac surrounding the spinal cord usually at the lumbosacral level. It is one of the major manifestations of Marfan syndrome. It may cause low back pain, headaches and neurological signs such as weakness and loss of bowel and bladder function,...
, dilation of the dural sac surrounding the spinal cordSpinal cordThe spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
, usually in the very low back. - PyelectasisPyelectasisPyelectasis is a dilation of the renal pelvis. The term is derived from the prefix pyelo- meaning "pelvis" and ectasia meaning "dilation or distension". It is a relatively common ultrasound finding and is three times more common in male fetuses. In most cases pyelectasis resolves normally,...
, dilation of a part of the kidney, most frequently seen in prenatal ultrasounds. It usually resolves on its own. - Rete tubular ectasiaRete tubular ectasiaRete tubular ectasia is a benign condition, usually found in older men, involving numerous small tubular cystic structures within the rete testis.-Diagnosis:...
, dilation of tubular structures in the testicleTesticleThe testicle is the male gonad in animals. Like the ovaries to which they are homologous, testes are components of both the reproductive system and the endocrine system...
s. It is usually found in older men. - Acral arteriolar ectasiaAcral arteriolar ectasiaAcral arteriolar ectasia is characterized by purple serpiginous ectatic arterioles on the back if the fingers, presenting in the fifth decade of life....
- Corneal ectasia (secondary keratoconusKeratoconusKeratoconus , is a degenerative disorder of the eye in which structural changes within the cornea cause it to thin and change to a more conical shape than its normal gradual curve....
), a bulging of the cornea.
Vascular ectasias
- Annuloaortic ectasiaAnnuloaortic ectasiaAnnuloaortic ectasia is a dilatation of the proximal ascending aorta and aortic annulus. It may cause aortic regurgitation, thoracic aortic dissection, aneurysm and rupture. It is often associated with Marfan syndrome. It can also be a complication due to tertiary syphilis...
, dilation of the aortaAortaThe aorta is the largest artery in the body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down to the abdomen, where it branches off into two smaller arteries...
. It can be associated with Marfan syndromeMarfan syndromeMarfan syndrome is a genetic disorder of the connective tissue. People with Marfan's tend to be unusually tall, with long limbs and long, thin fingers....
. - Dolichoectasias, weakening of arteries, usually caused by high blood pressure.
- Intracranial dolichoectasiasIntracranial DolichoectasiasThe term dolichoectasia means elongation and distension. It is used to characterize arteries throughout the human body which have shown significant deterioration of their tunica intima , weakening the vessel walls and causing the artery to elongate and distend.- Etiology :Most commonly caused by...
, dilation of arteries inside the head. - Gastric antral vascular ectasiaGastric antral vascular ectasia*Please note that Wikipedia does not give medical advice, and that the information in this article is intended to be solely for informational purposes....
, dilation of small blood vessels in the last part of the stomachStomachThe stomach is a muscular, hollow, dilated part of the alimentary canal which functions as an important organ of the digestive tract in some animals, including vertebrates, echinoderms, insects , and molluscs. It is involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication .The stomach is...
. - Telangiectasias are small dilated blood vessels found anywhere on the body, but commonly seen on the face around the nose, cheeks, and chin.