Bma Illustrated Medical Dictionary

mainly used to treat cancers of the

uterus and cervix (see uterus, cancer of;

cervix, cancer of). If implants (usually in

the form of artificial radioisotopes em-

bedded in wires or small tubes) are used,

they are left there for a period of time.

The technique may be used to treat a

malignant effusion (a collection of fluid

that contains cancerous cells). A needle,

sometimes with a catheterattached, is

passed through the wall of the abdomen

or the chest into the abdominal cavity or

pleural cavity (the space around the

lungs). As much of the fluid as possible

is withdrawn from the cavity before anti-

cancer drugs are injected directly into

it. (See also interstitial radiotherapy.)

intracerebral haemorrhageBleed-

ing into the brain from a ruptured blood

vessel. It is 1 of the 3 principal mecha-

nisms by which a stroke can occur. It

mainly affects middle-aged or elderly

people and is usually due to atheroscle-

rosis. Untreated hypertensionincreases

the risk of intracerebral haemorrhage.

The ruptured artery is usually in the

cerebrum. The escaped blood seeps out,

damaging brain tissue. The symptoms are

sudden headache, weakness, and con-

fusion, and often loss of consciousness.

Speech loss, facial paralysis, or one-

sided weakness may develop, depending

on the area affected. Surgery is usually

impossible; treatment is aimed at life-

support and the reduction of blood

pressure. Large haemorrhages are usually

fatal. For the survivor of an intracerebral

haemorrhage, rehabilitation and outlook

are as for any type of stroke.

INTRACAVITARY THERAPY
hernia; stenosis (narrowing) of the intes-
tine, often due to cancer in the intestine;
intestinal atresia; adhesions; volvulus;
and intussusception. Intestinal obstruc-
tion also occurs in diseases that affect
the intestinal wall, such as Crohn’s dis-
ease. In less common cases, internal
blockage of the intestinal canal is caused
by impacted food, faecal impaction, gall-
stones, or an object that has been
accidentally swallowed.
A blockage in the small intestine usu-
ally causes intermittent cramp-like pain
in the centre of the abdomen with
increasingly frequent bouts of vomiting
and failure to pass wind or faeces. An
obstruction in the large intestine causes
pain, distension of the abdomen, and
failure to pass wind or faeces.
Treatments involve emptying the stom-
ach via a nasogastric tubeand replacing
lost fluids through an intravenous drip
In some cases, this will be sufficient to
correct the problem. However, in many
cases, surgery to deal with the cause of
the blockage is necessary.
intestine, tumours ofCancerous or
noncancerous growths in the intestine.
Cancerous tumours commonly affect the
large intestine (see colon, cancer of; rec-
tum, cancer of); the small intestine is only
rarely affected. Lymphomasand carcinoid
tumours (leading to carcinoid syndrome)
may sometimes develop in the intestine;
noncancerous tumours include polyps
in the colon, and adenomas, leiomy-
omas, lipomas, and angiomasin the
small intestine.
intoxicationA general term for a con-
dition resulting from poisoning. It
customarily refers to the effects of exces-
sivedrinking (see alcohol intoxication),
but also includes drug poisoning, poi-
soning from the accumulation of the
by-products of metabolismin the body,
or the effects of industrial poisons.
intra-A prefix that means within, as in
the term intramuscular (within a mus-
cle). (See also inter-.)
intracavitary therapyTreatment of a
cancerous tumour in a body cavity or
the cavity of a hollow organ by placing a
radioactive implant or anticancer drugs
within the cavity. Also called brachy-
therapy, intracavitary radiotherapy is

INTESTINE, TUMOURS OF INTRACEREBRAL HAEMORRHAGE

I

Bladder

Rectum

Uterus

Vagina

INTRACAVITARY RADIOTHERAPY

Radioactive implant